Practice SVIP

Have you got the skills you need for the 21st-century workplace?
We need to develop all kinds of skills to survive in the 21st century. Some, like ICT skills and knowledge of the digital world, are taught explicitly in schools in the UK. Here are five less obvious ones for you to think about. These are the sorts of skills that employers may ask you questions about in interviews, so it's a good idea to think about how good you are in these areas. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Imagination
In the age of technology that we are living in now, it is no longer enough to keep on making the same products. Employers need people who can imagine new approaches and new ideas.
Think: Think of an object or gadget you use every day. How could it be improved? Can you think of three improvements?

Problem-solving
Employers will value workers who are able to see problems before they happen and come up with creative solutions.
Think: Imagine you are organising an end-of-term social event at school. Think of some problems that you could face. Can you think of any solutions?

Communication skills
Workers will have to be good communicators. They will have to be able to negotiate and discuss key issues and also write in a clear way without using too many words.
Think: How do people communicate with each other in the 21st century?

Critical analysis
Employers want workers who are able to recognise the difference between information that can be believed and false information.
Think: Use the internet to find out three facts about a celebrity or famous figure. Can you verify the information by checking other websites?

Decision making
Individual workers have a growing amount of responsibility. It is important to be able to evaluate a situation and be confident in making a decision.
Think: Which three things could you do to (a) be healthier (b) do better at school and (c) help others? Make a decision now to do at least one of these things. Then … just do it!

Employers look for a combination of personal, employability and technical skills in job applicants and in their employees as the ability to get a job done and participate effectively in the workplace. Employers believe that an individual's personal qualities and most fundamentally, employability skills hold a job seeker in greater stead than the focus on one's qualifications and certificates. The skills that we possess and develop are important not only for our present career, but for the rest of our lives.

The three categories of skills that prospective employers look for are: personal skills that relate to our qualities and the ability to work with others; generic or transferable skills that can be applied across different jobs and technical skills – the skills required for a specific job.

Personal skills are the individual attributes such as personality and work habits that demonstrate how individuals work, and the qualities they display when they are at the workplace that makes them who they are. These attributes enable an employer to determine one's fit into an organisation, and the ability to work with a team.

Generic or transferable skills are those required to perform a variety of tasks, which can be transferred from one job to another. In 2002, the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry identified eight key generic employability skills as part of the Australian Core Skills Framework. These skills are applied in a job role, and when an individual is seeking to make a career change.

Technical skills are the specialised skills and knowledge required to work in specific occupations and to perform specific duties. The importance and mix of skills will vary from job to job. Examples are undertaking, bookkeeping tasks, using specific accounting software, writing and editing, teaching, nursing, or driving a forklift. Technical skills can be demonstrated via qualifications, professional registration, competency to undertake a job role, and references by workplace managers or supervisors.

Although employers seek a combination of personal, transferable and technical skills in employees and job seekers, many individuals focus on technical skills and qualifications as a work requirement. This is merely one component, and this approach limits one's ability to broaden a skill set.

How can employability skills be developed? They can be developed in a variety of ways – learned at school, or through tertiary or vocational studies and in one's personal life through hobbies and sport, or in the workplace.

Employers look for a combination of personal, employability and technical skills in job applicants and in their employees as the ability to get a job done and participate effectively in the workplace. Employers believe that an individual's personal qualities and most fundamentally, employability skills hold a job seeker in greater stead than the focus on one's qualifications and certificates. The skills that we possess and develop are important not only for our present career, but for the rest of our lives.

The three categories of skills that prospective employers look for are: personal skills that relate to our qualities and the ability to work with others; generic or transferable skills that can be applied across different jobs and technical skills – the skills required for a specific job.

Personal skills are the individual attributes such as personality and work habits that demonstrate how individuals work, and the qualities they display when they are at the workplace that makes them who they are. These attributes enable an employer to determine one's fit into an organisation, and the ability to work with a team.

Generic or transferable skills are those required to perform a variety of tasks, which can be transferred from one job to another. In 2002, the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry identified eight key generic employability skills as part of the Australian Core Skills Framework. These skills are applied in a job role, and when an individual is seeking to make a career change.

Technical skills are the specialised skills and knowledge required to work in specific occupations and to perform specific duties. The importance and mix of skills will vary from job to job. Examples are undertaking, bookkeeping tasks, using specific accounting software, writing and editing, teaching, nursing, or driving a forklift. Technical skills can be demonstrated via qualifications, professional registration, competency to undertake a job role, and references by workplace managers or supervisors.

Although employers seek a combination of personal, transferable and technical skills in employees and job seekers, many individuals focus on technical skills and qualifications as a work requirement. This is merely one component, and this approach limits one's ability to broaden a skill set.

How can employability skills be developed? They can be developed in a variety of ways – learned at school, or through tertiary or vocational studies and in one's personal life through hobbies and sport, or in the workplace.

Employers look for a combination of personal, employability and technical skills in job applicants and in their employees as the ability to get a job done and participate effectively in the workplace. Employers believe that an individual's personal qualities and most fundamentally, employability skills hold a job seeker in greater stead than the focus on one's qualifications and certificates. The skills that we possess and develop are important not only for our present career, but for the rest of our lives.

The three categories of skills that prospective employers look for are: personal skills that relate to our qualities and the ability to work with others; generic or transferable skills that can be applied across different jobs and technical skills – the skills required for a specific job.

Personal skills are the individual attributes such as personality and work habits that demonstrate how individuals work, and the qualities they display when they are at the workplace that makes them who they are. These attributes enable an employer to determine one's fit into an organisation, and the ability to work with a team.

Generic or transferable skills are those required to perform a variety of tasks, which can be transferred from one job to another. In 2002, the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry identified eight key generic employability skills as part of the Australian Core Skills Framework. These skills are applied in a job role, and when an individual is seeking to make a career change.

Technical skills are the specialised skills and knowledge required to work in specific occupations and to perform specific duties. The importance and mix of skills will vary from job to job. Examples are undertaking, bookkeeping tasks, using specific accounting software, writing and editing, teaching, nursing, or driving a forklift. Technical skills can be demonstrated via qualifications, professional registration, competency to undertake a job role, and references by workplace managers or supervisors.

Although employers seek a combination of personal, transferable and technical skills in employees and job seekers, many individuals focus on technical skills and qualifications as a work requirement. This is merely one component, and this approach limits one's ability to broaden a skill set.

How can employability skills be developed? They can be developed in a variety of ways – learned at school, or through tertiary or vocational studies and in one's personal life through hobbies and sport, or in the workplace.

Employers look for a combination of personal, employability and technical skills in job applicants and in their employees as the ability to get a job done and participate effectively in the workplace. Employers believe that an individual's personal qualities and most fundamentally, employability skills hold a job seeker in greater stead than the focus on one's qualifications and certificates. The skills that we possess and develop are important not only for our present career, but for the rest of our lives.

The three categories of skills that prospective employers look for are: personal skills that relate to our qualities and the ability to work with others; generic or transferable skills that can be applied across different jobs and technical skills – the skills required for a specific job.

Personal skills are the individual attributes such as personality and work habits that demonstrate how individuals work, and the qualities they display when they are at the workplace that makes them who they are. These attributes enable an employer to determine one's fit into an organisation, and the ability to work with a team.

Generic or transferable skills are those required to perform a variety of tasks, which can be transferred from one job to another. In 2002, the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry identified eight key generic employability skills as part of the Australian Core Skills Framework. These skills are applied in a job role, and when an individual is seeking to make a career change.

Technical skills are the specialised skills and knowledge required to work in specific occupations and to perform specific duties. The importance and mix of skills will vary from job to job. Examples are undertaking, bookkeeping tasks, using specific accounting software, writing and editing, teaching, nursing, or driving a forklift. Technical skills can be demonstrated via qualifications, professional registration, competency to undertake a job role, and references by workplace managers or supervisors.

Although employers seek a combination of personal, transferable and technical skills in employees and job seekers, many individuals focus on technical skills and qualifications as a work requirement. This is merely one component, and this approach limits one's ability to broaden a skill set.

How can employability skills be developed? They can be developed in a variety of ways – learned at school, or through tertiary or vocational studies and in one's personal life through hobbies and sport, or in the workplace.

Employers look for a combination of personal, employability and technical skills in job applicants and in their employees as the ability to get a job done and participate effectively in the workplace. Employers believe that an individual's personal qualities and most fundamentally, employability skills hold a job seeker in greater stead than the focus on one's qualifications and certificates. The skills that we possess and develop are important not only for our present career, but for the rest of our lives.

The three categories of skills that prospective employers look for are: personal skills that relate to our qualities and the ability to work with others; generic or transferable skills that can be applied across different jobs and technical skills – the skills required for a specific job.

Personal skills are the individual attributes such as personality and work habits that demonstrate how individuals work, and the qualities they display when they are at the workplace that makes them who they are. These attributes enable an employer to determine one's fit into an organisation, and the ability to work with a team.

Generic or transferable skills are those required to perform a variety of tasks, which can be transferred from one job to another. In 2002, the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry identified eight key generic employability skills as part of the Australian Core Skills Framework. These skills are applied in a job role, and when an individual is seeking to make a career change.

Technical skills are the specialised skills and knowledge required to work in specific occupations and to perform specific duties. The importance and mix of skills will vary from job to job. Examples are undertaking, bookkeeping tasks, using specific accounting software, writing and editing, teaching, nursing, or driving a forklift. Technical skills can be demonstrated via qualifications, professional registration, competency to undertake a job role, and references by workplace managers or supervisors.

Although employers seek a combination of personal, transferable and technical skills in employees and job seekers, many individuals focus on technical skills and qualifications as a work requirement. This is merely one component, and this approach limits one's ability to broaden a skill set.

How can employability skills be developed? They can be developed in a variety of ways – learned at school, or through tertiary or vocational studies and in one's personal life through hobbies and sport, or in the workplace.

Employers look for a combination of personal, employability and technical skills in job applicants and in their employees as the ability to get a job done and participate effectively in the workplace. Employers believe that an individual's personal qualities and most fundamentally, employability skills hold a job seeker in greater stead than the focus on one's qualifications and certificates. The skills that we possess and develop are important not only for our present career, but for the rest of our lives.

The three categories of skills that prospective employers look for are: personal skills that relate to our qualities and the ability to work with others; generic or transferable skills that can be applied across different jobs and technical skills – the skills required for a specific job.

Personal skills are the individual attributes such as personality and work habits that demonstrate how individuals work, and the qualities they display when they are at the workplace that makes them who they are. These attributes enable an employer to determine one's fit into an organisation, and the ability to work with a team.

Generic or transferable skills are those required to perform a variety of tasks, which can be transferred from one job to another. In 2002, the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry identified eight key generic employability skills as part of the Australian Core Skills Framework. These skills are applied in a job role, and when an individual is seeking to make a career change.

Technical skills are the specialised skills and knowledge required to work in specific occupations and to perform specific duties. The importance and mix of skills will vary from job to job. Examples are undertaking, bookkeeping tasks, using specific accounting software, writing and editing, teaching, nursing, or driving a forklift. Technical skills can be demonstrated via qualifications, professional registration, competency to undertake a job role, and references by workplace managers or supervisors.

Although employers seek a combination of personal, transferable and technical skills in employees and job seekers, many individuals focus on technical skills and qualifications as a work requirement. This is merely one component, and this approach limits one's ability to broaden a skill set.

How can employability skills be developed? They can be developed in a variety of ways – learned at school, or through tertiary or vocational studies and in one's personal life through hobbies and sport, or in the workplace.

Employers look for a combination of personal, employability and technical skills in job applicants and in their employees as the ability to get a job done and participate effectively in the workplace. Employers believe that an individual's personal qualities and most fundamentally, employability skills hold a job seeker in greater stead than the focus on one's qualifications and certificates. The skills that we possess and develop are important not only for our present career, but for the rest of our lives.

The three categories of skills that prospective employers look for are: personal skills that relate to our qualities and the ability to work with others; generic or transferable skills that can be applied across different jobs and technical skills – the skills required for a specific job.

Personal skills are the individual attributes such as personality and work habits that demonstrate how individuals work, and the qualities they display when they are at the workplace that makes them who they are. These attributes enable an employer to determine one's fit into an organisation, and the ability to work with a team.

Generic or transferable skills are those required to perform a variety of tasks, which can be transferred from one job to another. In 2002, the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry identified eight key generic employability skills as part of the Australian Core Skills Framework. These skills are applied in a job role, and when an individual is seeking to make a career change.

Technical skills are the specialised skills and knowledge required to work in specific occupations and to perform specific duties. The importance and mix of skills will vary from job to job. Examples are undertaking, bookkeeping tasks, using specific accounting software, writing and editing, teaching, nursing, or driving a forklift. Technical skills can be demonstrated via qualifications, professional registration, competency to undertake a job role, and references by workplace managers or supervisors.

Although employers seek a combination of personal, transferable and technical skills in employees and job seekers, many individuals focus on technical skills and qualifications as a work requirement. This is merely one component, and this approach limits one's ability to broaden a skill set.

How can employability skills be developed? They can be developed in a variety of ways – learned at school, or through tertiary or vocational studies and in one's personal life through hobbies and sport, or in the workplace.