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HIST1010: The 10 Employability Skills

Author: Sophia

what's covered

In this lesson, you will be introduced to the 10 essential employability skills and explore the specific skills you will be learning more about in this course. Specifically, this lesson will cover:

Introduction to the 10 Skills
Skills in This Course
Skills in This Unit

before you start

Which of the 10 Employability Skills are you already familiar with?

1. Introduction to the 10 Skills

10 Employability Skills: Agility, Communication, Initiative, Innovation, Productivity, Problem solving, Results driven, Relationship building, Self and social awareness, Technology

The jobs of today look very different from the jobs our parents had. Whether you work in a cubicle or on a construction site, technology has changed — and is continuing to change — the ways we connect, communicate, and create in our careers. In the past, a college degree was enough to set you up for professional success. Today, employers want job candidates who also have the right skills to succeed.

That is why we have partnered with top employers, business leaders, and recruiters to identify 10 SKILLS that are critical to performing your best — not just in one field, but across all industries. These are skills that will prepare you for the needs of any future employer and set you up for success in a world that is constantly evolving.

10 Skills Chart

As you work through this and other courses, consider how you can use these 10 Skills to achieve your personal, academic, and professional goals.

2. Skills in This Course

This is not your average history class. You aren't going to be asked to recite the Gettysburg Address (even though it's pretty cool if you can). And you won't be quizzed on dates and names and battle configurations. No, this course is about developing the knowledge and skills you need to face your personal and professional life in an ever-changing world. It's about coming to the best conclusion about the present by first going back to the past.

In this course, you'll practice four essential employability skills that will help you learn from the past and prepare for your future. They are:

Problem Solving to identify issues, weigh evidence, and make well-informed decisions.
Communication to articulate an argument, use persuasion, and present a conclusion to your audience.
Technology to access, utilize and share information, complete tasks, and maintain a competitive advantage.
Agility to embrace change and effectively adapt to a continually fluctuating environment.

Together, these four skills will help you look at the past to gather and analyze evidence, articulate ideas, and present your findings to others. And, throughout history, you can also see how our ancestors have overcome similar challenges using the same skills you're learning today.

When it comes to the workplace, practicing these skills to understand your past is essential. No matter the role, industry, or career you choose (or even life circumstances you are in), you can take lessons from the past and apply them to solving problems today and in the future.

EXAMPLE

Business leaders want to know why products fail; politicians want to win elections; individuals want to invest in stocks that will grow their wealth.

In each of these situations, understanding the past can help them decide how to move forward. That's why this course is so important!

terms to know

Problem Solving Skill

A skill that helps you identify issues, weigh evidence, and make well-informed decisions.

Communication Skill

A skill that helps you articulate an argument, use persuasion, and present a conclusion to your audience.

Technology Skill

A skill that helps you access, utilize and share information, complete tasks, and maintain a competitive advantage.

Agility Skill

A skill that helps you embrace change and effectively adapt to a continually fluctuating environment.

3. Skills in Unit 1

In particular in the first unit, we will focus on your problem solving and agility skill .

Skills in Unit 1	Description
Problem Solving	Problem solving like a historian means investigating, finding, and using different kinds of credible sources and considering multiple angles of a problem. As you hone your problem solving skill in this unit, you’ll engage in activities like research, careful reading, and critical thinking.
Agility	Agility makes it easier to solve problems and face challenges. History gives us countless lessons in agility. You’ll do a deeper dive into economic change in American history by examining how changing economies affect the face of work. When we take the time to evaluate the evidence, we're better equipped to make more accurate decisions about the future.

Throughout the course, be on the lookout for various call outs to help you better see the connections between the skills and the course content.

summary

In this lesson, you received an introduction to the 10 skills. Employers seek individuals who possess these skills and continue to work to strengthen them. These skills cut across all professions and career paths. You learned how problem solving, communication, technology, and agility will be the skills incorporated into this course and why they are valuable. The skills in this unit will include problem solving and agility.

Best of luck in your learning!

Source: Strategic Education, Inc. 2020. Learn from the Past, Prepare for the Future.

Terms to Know

Agility Skill: A skill that helps you embrace change and effectively adapt to a continually fluctuating environment.
Communication Skill: A skill that helps you articulate an argument, use persuasion, and present a conclusion to your audience.
Problem Solving Skill: A skill that helps you identify issues, weigh evidence, and make well-informed decisions.
Technology Skill: A skill that helps you access, utilize and share information, complete tasks, and maintain a competitive advantage.