Dive Brief:
- A new report that identifies 10 emerging careers also found that, in addition to degrees, employers are requiring that candidates for these jobs demonstrate "work readiness." The University of California San Diego Extension's Emerging Careers for 2017 report focused on careers with less than five years’ experience that require at least a bachelor’s degree.
- Researchers found that employers want to hire people who are not only well-educated, but also know how to put their knowledge to work, according to Mary Walshok, associate vice chancellor of public programs and dean of UC San Diego Extension. They're looking for candidates with: the ability to communicate effectively both in person and in writing; critical thinking and problem-solving skills; and a willingness to adapt to challenges like new technologies or changing economic conditions.
- The top jobs for 2017 included interpreters and translators; operations research analysts; personal financial advisors; and computer systems analysts.
Dive Insight:
The research supports the idea that employers are increasingly looking for candidates with skill sets that go beyond the mere possession of a degree — even for jobs that do require a degree.
This is evident in the emerging employer-educator partnerships that focus more on developing a pipeline of workers who can continue to learn as technology evolves, instead of merely awarding a degree or certificate.
And others say that while many candidates already possess these skills, there may be a "communications gap" between employees and employers. As a result, more employers have sought to improve how to showcase these skills; Credly, for example, aims to translate soft skills and training into badges and achievements that candidates can share and employers can validate.
