Summit on 21st Century Skills

On March 14, 2007, over 200 leaders of business, economic development, and chambers of commerce were brought together in Madison, Wisconsin, to provide their important perspectives on the needs of the 21st century workforce. They were asked what knowledge and skills a current eighth-grader should develop to be prepared to enter the world of work in five to ten years.

Read the full-color brochure about what we found at the summit.

What Did We Find?

In identifying the skills students will need for the 21st century, business leaders most often cited:

• learning,
• thinking, and
• life skills.

They also stressed an emphasis on:

• critical-thinking and problem solving,
• collaborative communication skills,
• people skills,
• contextual learning skills,
• personal responsibility,
• ethics, and
• adaptability (nimbleness).

Five Major Themes Identified

1. Jobs of the future will require well-rounded and adaptable individuals.
2. Schools must provide students with an education which balances academic content and real-world skills.
3. Postsecondary education must maintain an emphasis on 21st century skills.
4. Partnerships between schools, business, communities, and government are essential.
5. Educators need to develop and apply collaboration and team-building skills that students can take into the business world.

The documents below provide more detail on the discussions and comments of participants. Please direct any questions to Paul Sandrock at (608) 266-3079 or s.paul.sandrock@dpi.state.wi.us.

Overview
8th Graders and the Workplace
Business/Education Collaboration
Sample Comments

Last updated on 10/15/2007 12:45:54 PM