Community college graduates who develop certain key skills while attending school earn more than students who don’t. Emphasizing skill acquisition can lead to an earning increase of nearly $4.25 per hour on average for community college graduates. The skills that proved to be the most economically valuable included synthesis, collaboration, and analysis.
Synthesis skills, which produce the highest economic return for community college graduates include:
- The ability to learn new things
- Critical thinking
- Verbal communication
- Writing
- Leadership
Working these skills into low-wage degree programs could help boost the programs’ value and increase the overall earnings of alumni. This is an interesting strategy, since programs with higher earning potential also have a positive impact on graduation/completion rates.
Collaboration skills, which produce significant economic return, include:
- Teamwork
- Creativity
- Networking
- Cultural awareness
- Entrepreneurship
Interestingly enough, entrepreneurship is not a skill that’s typically valued by employers. Many employers regard entrepreneurship as a red flag because the hiring process is expensive. Employers looking for long-term employees are less likely to hire entrepreneurial candidates. At the same time, entrepreneurial skills can help ensure that graduates can pursue self-employment opportunities if or when the economy turns sour.
The skills that produced the most modest positive return for graduates were analytical skills. They include:
- Mathematics
- Data analysis
- Digital literacy
- Project management
In addition to generating more actual income for graduates, these skills also strongly influence the perception of value for graduates. Graduates who believe that they developed these skills while in school were more likely to see their education as worth the cost.
Skill acquisition is essential to community college graduates’ success
One could argue that skill acquisition is the primary purpose of technical or occupational education. While that’s certainly the case, more generalized skill acquisition that isn’t directly tied to a student’s program of study has distinct economic value. Some of these skills fall into the category of “soft skills,” while others – like project management and data analysis – don’t. In many cases, however, they are adjacent to or supportive of soft skills.
Creating opportunities for skill acquisition in community college programs is essential because many students at two-year institutions don’t may not have the opportunity to develop these skills elsewhere. When community colleges take the time to build these skills into their academic programs, they can not only increase the value of their graduates to local employers, but also provide their alumni with the tools they need to venture out on their own if their circumstances demand it.
Photo Credit: Laura Coughlin, via Flickr
