21st Century Skills for Vibrant Careers

RANJAN K BARUAH

EDUCARE

We have been learning about different skills which are important to be successful in life. Life skills, employability skills and similar skills are needed for the 21st century and these are important for all of us. 21st century skills are crucial in our life and we need to acquire them to be ahead of our peers. Twenty-first-century skills are abilities and attributes that can be taught or learned in order to enhance ways of thinking, learning, working and living in the world.

These skills refers to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits that are held - by educators, school teachers, college professors, employers,, social change makers  and others - to be critically important to success in today’s world, particularly in academic programs and contemporary careers and workplaces.

The definition may not be limited but according to according to the handbook prepared by Central Board of Secondary Education the 21st century skills are as follows:

Ø  Critical thinking and Problem Solving

Ø  Collaboration and Leadership

Ø  Agility and Adaptability

Ø  Initiative and Entrepreneurialism

Ø  Effective Oral and Written Communication

Ø  Accessing and Analyzing Information

Ø  Curiosity and Imagination

There might be slight differences in terms but if we look at the meaning then we could find that these skills are more or less same with other skills like life skills. In simple the twelve 21st Century skills are:

Ø  Critical thinking

Ø  Creativity

Ø  Collaboration

Ø  Communication

Ø  Information literacy

Ø  Media literacy

Ø  Technology literacy

Ø  Flexibility

Ø  Leadership

Ø  Initiative

Ø  Productivity

Ø  Social Skills

We are aware that these skills help students and young professionals to be successful in their career. Each 21st Century skill is broken into one of three categories: Learning skills and Literacy skills

Learning skills (the four C’s) teach students about the mental processes required to adapt and improve upon a modern work environment. Literacy skills (IMT) focuses on how students can discern facts, publishing outlets, and the technology behind them. There’s a strong focus on determining reliable sources and factual information to separate it from the misinformation that floods the Internet. Life skills (FLIPS) take a look at intangible elements of a student’s everyday life.

The 4 C's of 21st Century Skills are:

Ø  Critical thinking: Finding solutions to problems

Ø  Creativity: Thinking outside the box for solution

Ø  Collaboration: Working with others with positive spirit

Ø  Communication: Talking to others in an effective way

The three 21st Century literacy skills are:

Ø  Information literacy

Ø  Media literacy

Ø  Technology literacy

The five 21st Century life skills which are also known as FLIPS are:

Ø  Flexibility

Ø  Leadership

Ø  Initiative

Ø  Productivity

Ø  Social skills

These are important for students to be self employed or join any corporate or become successful by being in government jobs. It is an irony that students and young professionals from North East India are not yet familiar with all these skills. Apart from students, teachers and educators must spread these skills so that we can make our future sustainable.

 (Ranjan K Baruah is a career mentor and skill trainer and currently Adviser of Skill Employment and Entrepreneurship Department of Bodoland Territorial Council, Kokrajhar and can be reached at 8473943734 or bkranjan@gmail.com)