Resource Exchange
Workplace
Ready Classrooms
Submitted by: Durham Technical Community College
Contact: Mary
Anne Grabarek
Recent studies and feedback indicate that employers are concerned about the “workplace readiness” of prospective employees. In addition to meaning that graduates must demonstrate specific technical knowledge and expertise in their program areas, workplace readiness includes a wide range of technical skills – including critical reading, writing, proofreading, oral communication skills, and computer literacy – as well as general professional practices – including awareness of workplace ethics, attention to promptness and attendance, and the employee’s presentation of self and of his or her work. Over the last several years, the Teaching-Learning Center at Durham Tech has explored ways to promote workplace readiness and employability skills across the diverse curriculum programs offered at the college.
Preparing Students for the Workplace includes the following highlights and handouts:
- What Do Employers Want? Durham Tech Colleagues Speak Out
- Map of Workplace Readiness Resources at Durham Tech
- Presentation: “Employability Skills: Writing, Speaking, Collaborating, and Teamwork”
- Presentation: “Communication Skills in the Workplace: Employers Talk Back”
- Faculty Initiatives
- NC State Employer Survey
- Becoming Workplace-Ready at Durham Tech
- Bibliography
Developing
Workplace-Ready Classrooms: A Professional Development Training
Initiative describes the development of a pilot course
designed to incorporate workplace presentation skills into
an English course. Contains links to the developers’
article and related PowerPoint presentation “Facing
Reality and Making Connections: Professional Skills in an
Academic Setting.” A supplemental DVD that explores
the topics of connecting student learning to the real world;
developing "soft" skills for employment success;
combining academics and workplace skills; completing student
self-evaluations; sharing faculty and student presentations;
and teaching necessary workplace readiness skills can be
obtained from Mary
Ann Grabarek.
