Workforce Readiness

You don’t have to have the answer, but you do have to start getting ready.

Workforce readiness is all about doing what it takes to be prepared for the transition to the workforce.

Workforce readiness has two sides:

1. Ensure new and returning workers are prepared to enter the workforce with the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities required to succeed at work
2. Ensure that the workplaces are productive by welcoming the new workforce

Work readiness skills are sometimes called soft skills, employability skills, or job readiness skills. Important Soft Skills include:

• Attitude – Ability to respond to guidance, control your emotions, keep your focus, and have a positive attitude
• Communication – Ability to know what to say and how to say it to get your point across
• Planning & Organizing – Ability to prioritize, manage your time, and create a process
• Critical Thinking – Ability to think critically about a problem and identify a solution
• Interpersonal Skills – Ability to show empathy and present yourself in an acceptable manner
• Teamwork – Ability to work with others to achieve a common goal
• Professionalism – Ability to be kind and polite to everyone, present yourself in a positive image in your attitude and dress, and showing up for work or meetings fully prepared and on time
• Digital Literacy – Ability to use technology appropriately in the workplace and show respect for technology-based guidelines and workplace restrictions
• Discipline – Ability to work independently and follow work rules, with a special focus on safety
• Punctuality – Ability to be on time and complete projects within set timeline
• Reliability – Ability to meet your commitments – to do what you say you are going to do
• Career Management – Ability to choose a career path, work toward your goals, and be willing to make changes when appropriate
• Intercultural Understanding – Ability to understand we are working in a global economy and capability of understanding and working with staff from different cultures
• Drug Free – Ability to understand that drugs and work safety don’t mix