Unpacking Soft Skill Prioritization in Workforce Pathways: A Q Study of Career Center Leaders

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 3:45 pm - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Teaching and Learning in Career & Technical Education and Workplace Learning

Abstract

This study uses Q methodology to examine how career center professionals prioritize soft skills—specifically teamwork and problem-solving—within credential-focused workforce training. As states align pathways with WIOA mandates and employer demands, the integration of soft skills remains inconsistently defined. Guided by Social Cognitive Career Theory and Expectancy-Value Theory, this study explores how practitioners’ beliefs and value judgments shape their advising and programming decisions. Participants (N = 15–25) will rank policy- and practice-derived statements to reveal shared perspectives through by-person factor analysis. Findings will provide practitioner-informed insights to guide program design, advisor training, and soft skill assessment across workforce and CTE systems.

Authors

• Anthony Mark Gray, Dunwoody College of Technology

• Adam K. Atwell, Old Dominion University