VIRTUAL: Applying Education

Abstract

Historically, career advancement was about transitioning through a linear pathway by climbing from the bottom to the top of a career ladder. Today, advancement takes many forms and offers a more “latticed” approach to value creation. Individuals are constantly learning new skills to navigate more varied approaches to participation in less predictable career journeys. Therefore, skills that are transferable across industry and region are becoming increasingly valuable. These transferable skills are frequently referred to as “soft skills.” There is widespread agreement that the acquisition of soft skills has a positive impact on learning and career outcomes. Since soft skills transfer across industries, borders and cultures, they need to be considered for different these different people and contexts. Yet western conceptions of soft skills tend to preclude more varied understandings, interpretations and evaluations of soft skills. This poses challenges particularly for learners and contributors from traditionally marginalized groups. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development points out that not all learners and contributors experience the predicted labour market outcomes required to prosper in an interconnected, global economy. This results in deepening income inequalities, which impact the ability for some contributors to achieve favourable career outcomes. Inclusive soft skills programming could positively impact the outcomes of contributors from traditionally marginalized groups. This paper argues for approaches to soft skills development and evaluation that are more inclusive of the needs, culture and experiences of diverse learners in higher learning, particularly for learners from traditionally marginalized groups.