Some Things Don’t Change: Durable Skills for Future Workers

Haley Glover

Senior Director

My daughter is a sophomore in high school. Along with the typical roller-coaster one rides when raising a teen, we spend a lot of time talking about the future. What will her work life look like? What will she be able to do better than a computer? And as an aspiring artist, she wonders, will people still value art created by humans, or will we be satisfied with AI-generated images?

I tell her, like I tell everyone who asks, that I don’t know, and anyone who says they know anything for sure about AI and the future of work is selling something. But what I do know, and what our recent research with Western Governors University (WGU) on how employers value “durable skills” (enduring skills that aren’t job specific and are valued across roles and workplaces) and attitudes (mindsets, personality traits, and philosophies applied on the job) in entry-level workers clearly states, is that some things haven’t changed. Paying attention, working hard, being accountable, playing nicely — these are the intangible, durable skills and attitudes that employers have always valued. 

This summer, in partnership with WGU, UpSkill America at the Aspen Institute conducted a national survey of more than 550 employers across every industry, sector, state, and organization size, to understand how they evaluate early-career talent — those with less than three years of experience.We were specifically interested in finding out what durable skills and attitudes those hiring value most. 

While just over half of employers primarily focus on a candidate’s relevant technical skills for a role, 42% prioritize attitudes with intent of supporting new employees to develop those job-specific skills in the role. Indeed, the majority of employers consistently value skills they associate with being ready to execute on day one: trustworthiness, attention to detail, personal responsibility, collaboration, integrity, and so on. These are the sort of nonnegotiable and durable skills that AI can’t replicate. And as those same employers report, early career workers often meet or exceed expectations, with 61% of employers saying that their current early-career workforce has the durable skills and attitudes to meet the demands of their organizations over the next five years. 

There is significant research and conversation around the shrinking “half-life” of technical skills despite employers’ constant need for such talent. This constant call by employers underscores the importance of focusing on both technical and durable skills. If a business focuses only on technical skills in their hiring, risk building a pipeline of workers who can execute tasks but cannot collaborate, handle ambiguity, lead, adapt, or be trusted. That undermines retention, workforce agility, and competitiveness. 

So what do we do? How can durable skills be integrated at every level to benefit employers and employees alike? For institutions and training providers, programs must integrate durable skills and attitudes in academic and practical curriculum. Embed these skills and attitudes in high-quality, work-based learning experiences, and validate those skills in context. At the very least, don’t take for granted that students moving through education systems have significant work experience or that they understand employers’ expectations. 

For employers, upskilling is a strategic investment. Employers who clearly articulate the durable skill set and attitudes they expect alongside technical skills will see greater impact for their internal training and send stronger signals into the talent pipeline. 

Finally, students must master skills that demonstrate reliability and an ability to execute — things valued by every industry, every sector, and just about every individual employer we surveyed. They may not be explicitly requested, but these traits will set those who succeed and those who peak apart as they grow in their careers. If someone is paying you, they want to know they can rely on you to do the job, do it well, and do it professionally. This is true if you want to be an astronaut, it’s true if you want to be an accountant, and it’s true if you want to be an artist like my teenager. 

Every young person figuring out what they’re going to do in their careers will need to  balance their priorities, exploring their passions while navigating an increasingly complex labor market. In my wiser moments, I tell my daughter that what she does today: where she spends time, the experiences she seeks, the efforts she puts in, should be oriented toward maximizing the choices she has in the future.  

While we can’t know what will happen in the future, this research provides solid and timeless direction: act ethically, be trustworthy and responsible, be attentive to details, and communicate and collaborate effectively. These are the skills and attitudes that will carry my daughter and her generation through a rapidly changing economy and create value wherever she goes and whatever she decides to do with her talents.