Emma Crighton, Education Associate – The Skills Builder Partnership
I distinctly remember sitting down to complete my personal statement for University and later, my first job application. These two events stick vividly in my memory because I remember being somewhat bemused.
“Describe a situation in which you found a creative way to overcome an obstacle”
The hours spent wading through revision guides and creating note cards did not prepare me for that one. I could think of several ways I had overcome difficult situations but I did not know how to describe them and what did they mean by creative?
I now realise this question wanted to test to my Creativity and Problem-Solving skills. I was unaware of this at the time but even if I was, I am not sure I would have been equipped with the language to articulate my experiences.
The ever-growing consensus around the value of skills and the need to provide young people with more opportunities to focus on them exposes that I am not alone in my experiences. Universities and employers have long argued that essential skills underpin success in achieving degrees and workplace potential. Learners with these skills are proven to think critically, better solve problems, create and communicate new ideas and work collaboratively with others.