ABSTRACT
Many have questioned whether our students are adequately prepared for the demands of a twenty-first century workplace (Association of American Colleges and Universities [AAC&U], 2010; Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011; Galagan, 2010; Halpern, 2010b; Hunt, 1995). A survey of over 300 employers in the United States was commissioned by AAC&U in 2010 to assess the “skills gap.” The “skills gap” is the gap between the current skills of workers and the skills necessary to achieve the organization’s goals (Galagan, 2010). The results suggest that 33 percent of new employees lacked the skills needed for entry level positions and 31 percent lacked the critical thinking skills necessary for employment. Employers and organizations like the AAC&U are not alone in their concern over the skills of our students; educators also recognize the need for a change in the way students are trained.
