Every Friday, we’ll be highlighting some helpful information specifically for first-year students. Today we consider the valuable transferable skills you’re learning in the classroom. You can view all the previous Freshman Friday posts here.
Yesterday’s University Record featured a video of students in LSA’s “Art in Public Spaces/Big Paintings” course talking about their experience. I was struck by the way that the students in the video were able to easily articulate the valuable lessons and skills that they learned in the course, regardless of whether they planned to pursue a degree or eventual career in art.
Whether you’ve selected your major or are still exploring your options, be sure to consider the different ways that your current and future courses contribute toward your eventual career. In some cases, you might be learning skills that are obviously transferable into a work setting, such as ENGLISH 229 – Professional Writing. But in other cases, like the Art in Public Spaces course listed above, the transferable skills may not be as obvious at first glance (but can be just as valuable!). As you’re thinking about your courses this semester, and eventually make up your schedule for the fall and beyond, consider courses with the following components (based on important skills that employers want to see in students/recent grads):
Group Projects
“Ability to work in a team structure,” and “ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization” are two skills employers love to see. Working with other students on a group project in class will help you better develop those skills, and provide some concrete examples of when you’ve been required to work with others toward a common goal.
Persuasive/Argumentative Writing
Being able to craft a strong and well-reasoned argument is important in many fields, and employers list “ability to create and/or edit written reports” and “ability to sell or influence others” as two more key skills. You can do yourself a favor by learning and improving that skill through your coursework, so that you’ll be ready the first time you’re required to write a convincing proposal at your internship or job.
Data Analysis/Problem Solving
Particularly in leadership roles, being able to sift through lots of information to pick out the most important pieces is an invaluable skill. Decision-making in the real world is rarely black-and-white, so you’ll often be forced to analyze a problem for which there is incomplete data, more information than is necessary, or for which there’s no perfect solution. The “ability to analyze quantitative data” and “ability to make decisions and solve problems” are high on employers’ wish lists for a reason. Any courses that involve problem solving, quantitative reasoning, and data analysis will help you feel more comfortable with this.
If you need some help thinking about the career-related skills you’re developing through your coursework, take a look at our Career Guides for many of the LS&A majors. It’s also a great conversation to have with one of our career coaches, or with your academic advisor.
Posted by Scott Tsuchiyama 
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