Key finding: Strength in Durable Skills
It makes sense that tech jobs will require some specific technical skills – but durable skills – including communication and problem-solving, are also vital.
Working in tech means supporting and influencing work across various teams and all segments of an industrial economy. Soft skills that contribute to strong teamwork are essential.
The recent KC TechBridge Data Queries explored the top durable skills referenced in current listings for tech jobs in Kansas City.
what we observed:
The top five durable skills across all KC tech job postings in the past year included: communication, cooperative / team player ability, problem solving, analytical thinking and project management.
In addition to these, some individuals in the KC TechBridge coalition added a few ideas focused on learning:
Learning Agility
Proactive Learning
Life-long Learning
In addition, you also pointed to:
Adaptability
Translation (between technical and non-technical modes)
Early Learnings: Common Understanding of Durable Skills
Across 17,000 KC tech job postings in the past 12 months, there are only 100 distinct durable skills requested by employers. By contrast, we see 1,500 variations of technical skills.
This means there is much greater effective agreement on durable skills – sometimes called soft skills – as they are communicated to candidates and education and training partners.
As we explore further, we’ll work to understand how these common, durable skills are assessed by employers. This insight allows us to effectively support job seekers as they bolster these abilities.
Geek out over the data with us, so together, we can develop some pretty cool solutions to support tech talent in our market. Contact KC TechBridge’s Data Scientist, Andrew Sallee, to get involved.
