New study shows the durable skills Idaho employers are looking for

Idaho Business for Education has teamed up with America Succeeds and Emsi Burning Glass to promote the “High Demand for Durable Skills” report regarding which durable skills employers want their employees to have.

Durable skills — or what used to be called “soft” or “life” skills — are those that learners can take with them to whatever careers they choose and wherever they go professionally. These skills include critical thinking and the ability to collaborate with a team while effectively communicating with others.

“Technical skills are ever changing with economic and technological trends,” Rod Gramer, president and CEO of IBE said. “But durable skills never change. Once learned they can be applied in a variety of situations and careers. This study emphasizes the importance of integrating these durable skills into education so students can be prepared for a successful work life.”

In producing this study, Moscow-based Emsi analyzed more than 500,000 job postings in Idaho to see how often the following competencies were listed: communication, leadership, metacognition, critical thinking, collaboration, character, growth mindset, mindfulness, creativity, and fortitude.

After studying over 11,000 companies across the state, the “High Demand for Durable Skills” report found that communication, leadership, and metacognition are the top three durable skills employers are looking for in Idaho.

“We find this study to be so compelling because it spotlights the importance of integrating these skills into education starting at an early age,” Gramer said. “We believe these findings are something educators, policymakers and business leaders should pay attention to and ask themselves: Are we really preparing students for the future?”

A common misconception among job seekers is that “hard skills” are what stand out to employers. But the “High Demand for Durable Skills report” shows that the top five durable skills are wanted by employers four times more than the top five hard skills.

“The need for inclusive, soft skills-based education and hiring was apparent long before the pandemic but COVID-19 has greatly accelerated existing trends,” said Tim Taylor, co-founder, and president of America Succeeds said. “We launched this unique research initiative to start a national conversation around Durable Skills, so that schools understand the importance of educating for them and corporate leaders recognize the urgent need to partner with the education system to solve their workforce challenges.”

"It is our belief that by working together with educators and business leaders, we ensure that students and communities can become more resilient in the rapidly evolving world of work,” Anna Brown, Economist and Vice President of Education Consulting at Emsi Burning Glass said. “Six of the 10 most requested skills by Idaho employers were durable skills. In fact, Idaho employers on average request Leadership and Character skills more often than other employers across the U.S."