Across all disciplines and learning environments, we work with students to identify, develop, practice, and reflect on foundational skills for success in their careers, communities, and personal lives. Traditionally invoked as "soft" skills and more recently described as durable, essential, or foundational skills, these practices ensure sustained success in an increasingly dynamic and sometimes unpredictable career landscape. These skills, moreover, prepare graduates to engage complex problems and issues that require them to be, in the words of Paul Hanstedt, "intellectually nimble" with a transdisciplinary mindset. Our focus on developing these important skills aligns with the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) Graduate Profile, which outlines 10 essential skills for career success.
We know that a major isn't just a collection of content that a student "acquires" as static knowledge. It's a unique way of looking at the world, asking questions, engaging in problem-solving, and imagining new possibilities. It's a behavior, a disposition, a set of practices, a mindset, a way of carrying oneself through both challenges and opportunities. So many skills are already being taught in our programs and classes; these resources—and our support in using them—are meant to help instructors make the implicit explicit and foreground skill development in even more visible ways.
This resource page serves as a starting point for exploring how to:
- Identify skill gaps for students in your courses.
- Recognize where essential skills are already being taught in your curriculum.
- Support students in reflecting on and articulating their growth and mastery of these skills.
These resources are just the beginning. While we are in the early stages of building out this resource hub, you will find practical guides, activity ideas, and strategies for skill integration. We will continue to add new resources over time as we collaborate with faculty across disciplines. If you have suggestions for additional resources or need help integrating essential skills into your teaching, please reach out to us here. We’re here to partner with you as you support students in their growth.
