Aligning Educational Policy and Curricula with Employer Expectations

May 1, 2014

Millions remain unemployed as the nation’s economy recovers all too slowly from the recession of 2008.

A common explanation for this state of affairs in the media and policymaking circles focuses on the “skills gap” which is a structural mismatch between the supply of workers with particular skill sets and employers’ demands for qualified workers. Instead of studying whether or not a skills gap exists, WCER scientist Matthew Hora is focused on a more fundamental problem: describing the nature of employer expectations and whether or not they are aligned with the postsecondary curriculum in 2- and 4-year colleges and universities. Insights into this dynamic can point the way towards more effective educational policy and curricula that can adequately prepare students for success in the 21st century economy.

In studying this issue Hora has found that employers want workers with more than just technical expertise, even though that assumption underlies many policy solutions for workforce development. Hora cites a 2011 national survey of manufacturing executives who said many workers lack “soft” skills (interpersonal and communicative abilities), as well as “hard skills” (technical and task-based proficiencies). The executives cited the largest skill deficiencies as problem solving (52% of respondents), basic technical training (43%), and basic employability skills such as work ethic (40%) and technology proficiency (36%).

In an analysis of a survey of 181 Wisconsin manufacturers, Hora found that technical skills were desired (25% of respondents), but this was followed closely by a need for mathematical skills (23%) and social skills (19%). And 51% of respondents cited the importance of a more fundamental personal attribute closely tied to a worker’s cultural background: a strong work ethic.

In a 2013 national survey of employers, 55% of respondents said it was important for employees to have both field-specific skills and a broad range of transferable competencies. In the survey, conducted by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, 93% of respondents agreed that “a candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems” is more important than a particular field of study.

Based on an analysis of the literature and preliminary findings from a National Science Foundation study on these issues, Hora offers these recommendations to educators and policymakers.

1. Develop a comprehensive view of skills that extends beyond the technical and task specific. Employers seek workers who collaborate, communicate reason abstractly, and demonstrate a strong work ethic. Thus, what employers seek is a cluster of skills, proficiencies, and aptitudes whose complexity is obscured by the singular focus on technical expertise.

2. Support workforce development initiatives that reflect these needs. Policymakers should support programs that target student proficiencies in both soft and hard skills. A certificate program in welding, for example, could require students to work in teams, solve authentic problems in the real world, and communicate with customers and co-workers.

3. Encourage interactive classroom instruction and apprenticeships that cultivate a diverse range of skills. Interactive approaches to teaching, such as peer instruction and problem-based learning, shape many educational reform initiatives. Interactive approaches cultivate skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and communicating. Policymakers should allocate resources to support teacher professional development in interactive teaching methods at 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities.

4. Address the widespread perception that many job applicants and employees lack a strong work ethic. One way to cultivate a strong work ethic in students is by strictly enforcing classroom rules, basing assessments on group work that fosters a sense of responsibility for one’s peers, and holding high standards for the quality of all student work.

5. Expand views of the purpose of higher education to include both vocational preparation and fundamental intellectual development. If students are trained with both goals in mind they will likely be competitive in the job market students because they will have acquired technical expertise as well as transferable abilities that are in high demand in the labor market. Thus, fostering students’ overall intellectual development is consistent with employer expectations and bolsters the argument that the purpose of higher education should go beyond simply preparing students to get a job.

With support from the National Science Foundation, the Center on Education and Work at UW–Madison is conducting a study exploring the issues highlighted in this discussion. The 3-year study will include interviews with 90 employers and educators in Wisconsin to further clarify the alignment (or lack thereof) between employer expectations for worker skills and the postsecondary curricula in manufacturing and biotechnology. One aim of the study is to provide recommendations about how to integrate this information into educational programs and coursework. For more information see alignmentstudy.wceruw.org