Cultivating Soft Skills in Workforce Development: K-12 Initiatives

Registration for this event is now closed.

2 - 3:15 p.m. (CT) | Thursday, April 16, 2015 | Webinar
3 - 4:15 p.m. (ET) | Thursday, April 16, 2015 | Webinar

Contact Mike Eggleston 314-444-8610 michael.c.eggleston@stls.frb.org

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 9.6 million unemployed people in the United States in August 2014, while at the same time there were 4.8 million job openings. While a lot of attention is paid to the lack of technical skills that job candidates possess and the need to invest more in training for STEM jobs, it is also true that one of the biggest barriers faced by employers when hiring is the candidates' lack of "soft skills" (e.g., being able to communicate effectively, think critically and be a reliable team player).

During this Exploring Innovation webinar series from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, we will hear from leaders in education, academia and business regarding what it means to have a workforce that possesses the soft skills demanded by employers. We will highlight innovative approaches to acquiring and developing these skills in early childhood, K-12 and higher education—strategies that are positioning communities to have a thriving talent pool for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

This webinar on April 16 will provide insight into what is being done during the school-age years to prepare our future workforce with these invaluable soft skills. In this second of three webinars, participants will learn:

• The importance of continuing to develop soft skills from kindergarten through 12th grade
• How a leading manufacturing firm came to embrace and actively support the development of soft skills among high school students
• How a network of high-performing charter schools in St. Louis is having success with their character education program

Presenters include:

• Laura Bornfreund, Deputy Director of Early Education, New America
• Mike Wiggins, former Executive Vice President of Human Resources, Southwire
• Kelly Garrett, Executive Director, KIPP: St. Louis

There is no charge for this event, but registration is required.

Mark your calendar now for the final webinar in this 3-part series:

• May 7, 2015 — Cultivating Soft Skills in Workforce Development: Higher Education Initiatives

Listen to the archived first session:

• March 5, 2015 — Cultivating Soft Skills in Workforce Development: Early Childhood Initiatives