Lately, there has been a considerable amount of attention placed on skills gaps causing unfilled job openings due to a lack of qualified applicants. According to the Fall 2014 Newsletter of NCDA Career Developments, the missing skills consist of Basic Cognitive Skills such as reading, writing, math and science and Soft Skills such as teamwork, motivation, and creativity. Studies show that the first component of the skills gap relating to educational achievement is supported by the low ranking of U.S. students on many international tests compared to the rest of the world which means employers have difficulty finding workers that can compete in an increasingly technological and global economy. One respected assessment shows U.S. students ranked below 29 other countries in math, 22 in science, and 19 in reading.
Additionally, employers report deficiencies in applicant soft skills such as attitude, customer service, problem solving, and teamwork. More information can be found at http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/12/03/248329823/