A grounded theory model for the soft skills development of community college students

Soft skills, also known as employability skills, among other names, are those nontechnical, sometimes intangible skills such as work ethic, communication, problem solving, teamwork, and others that might be hard to gauge with traditional data measures but make a difference in the workplace and the broader community. The topic of soft skills is widely discussed in today’s workplace, with employers reporting that many job applicants or employees lack strong soft skills competencies in ways that make hiring difficult or adversely affect the company’s bottom line. Strong soft skills can improve one’s productivity and opportunities for career advancement and are a common characteristic of successful leaders. Community colleges are key conduits for employers, enrolling around twelve million employees or future employees per year, and are in a key position to play a part in soft skills development for the benefit of employers and employees. The purpose of this qualitative study was to formulate and present a model for community colleges to use in establishing a robust, ongoing soft skills development program. The research conducted assesses the current state of soft skills development at Michigan’s community colleges, about which there is a scarcity of available literature. The elements of the soft skills development model presented in this study were grounded in theory informed by the findings of the research of Michigan’s community colleges and by best practices found in a
review of the literature related to soft skills development efforts in other states and in other institutions. It is hoped that the recommendations offered and the new framework presented will prove useful to community colleges in Michigan and in other states to implement or improve soft skills training efforts.