Career Readiness Training

What is career readiness training? Career readiness training, or 21st-century skills training, provides instruction in nontechnical skills integral to success in the workplace. This training teaches “soft,” or noncognitive, skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, professionalism, conflict resolution, digital literacy, and communication. Career readiness training may also include job searches, résumé writing support, and interview skills training to help job seekers identify and obtain employment. Literacy and numeracy skills may also be a part of career readiness training.

Who provides career readiness training? American Job Centers typically offer these trainings, and local workforce system training providers, such as community and technical colleges and trade schools, often embed career readiness training in their technical education program curricula, too. 

Why is career readiness training important? Many youth and adults need career readiness training to help them find, keep, and advance in jobs. In surveys, employers regularly report soft skills as the most important thing they look for in entry-level workers. Laid-off workers who have not recently searched for employment can benefit from the job search skills provided through career readiness training, too.