STATE OF THE FIELD IN YOUTH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Annexes
2012 State of the Field in Youth Economic Opportunities
1.4.1.4 Hot Topic: Why are so Many Institutions Failing to Provide Soft Skills
and Why Does It Matter
ManpowerGroup, a $22 billion global employment
services company present in over 80 countries, and
conference participants shared the following insights:
Soft skills are not part of the traditional missions of
education institutions:
• Soft skills in many educational institutions are
oriented towards classroom success in a rote
environment.
• Teachers may not themselves have the relevant soft
skills, making it difficult to teach them effectively.
• Employers have the freedom to hire from anywhere
in the global labor market. As a result, they are less
tolerant of skill deficits, holding all candidates to
similar global benchmarks.
• Employers may hire for hard skills but will definitely
fire for insufficient soft skills.
Soft skills are changing, putting greater burdens on
employees. New requirements include:
• Economy-Relevant Skills: creativity, communication,
innovation
Soft skills are becoming more important in the
workplace:
• Self-Skills: self-esteem, self-confidence, self-reliance
o
Internship programs can provide effective entry points for youth entering the
formal labor market, but require significant up-front investments to start
Where opportunities for first-time employment are scarce, internship programs hold promise for postsecondary
students to build a track record and recommendation base and become more familiar with the
workplace and how their skills and education can be put to use. Internships are not a panacea, however, and
may require significant up-front work on the part of program implementers. Companies require support
and guidance to be effective hosts and managers of interns and to provide useful employment experiences,
particularly where a tradition of internships does not exist. As a result, programs should also focus on building
an effective and well-respected internship brand, which clients/trainees can carry with them, and which can be
used to attract additional employer partners.
Chapter 1: Workforce Development
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