This book examines how industry-desired employability skillsor soft skillsare taught and learned in high school career and technical education (CTE) engineering and engineering technology programs. Identifying, recruiting, and keeping workers with strong personal and interpersonal skills is a constant challenge for STEM employers who need to hire young workers to replace an aging technical workforce. To answer the call, teachers interviewed explained that they maintain regimented daily classroom routines that include individual and small group hands-on activities and projects. In turn, their students explain learning personal responsibility, work ethic, teamwork, leadership, conflict management, and social skills in the classroom. Narratives from the workforce and classroom interweave to put employability skills frameworks into action.

Will Tyson is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of South Florida, USA. His research examines interpersonal and structural influences on science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) educational and career pathways out of high schools, community colleges, and four-year universities. He specializes in mixed methods research.

1. Introduction: Employability Skills in the 21st Century Workforce.- 2. Background and Methodology.- 3. Core Elements of Work Ethic.- 4. Flexibility and Interpersonal Skills.- 5. Personal Responsibility and Work Ethic.- 6. Interpersonal Skills.- 7. Projects and Activities that Promote Employability Skills.- 8. Eyes Toward the Future.-