INTERPRETING THE
SKILLS GAP
Prepared for
Nicholls State University Students
Prepared by
Miguel Harris
Nicholls State University
Accounting and Finance Double Major
4/1/2018
CONTENTS
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1
What is the Skills Gap? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..2
Hard Skills ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………2
Importance of Soft Skills ………………………………………………………………………………………..2
Effects of the Skills Gap ……………………………………………………………………………………………………2
How Does Skills Gap Affect Employers? …………………………………………………………………2
How Does Skills Gap Affect College Graduates? ………………………………………………………3
Skills Gap in the Economy ………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Unemployment ………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
Economic Growth ………………………………………………………………………………………………….4
Closing the Skills Gap…………………………………………………………………………….4
Employers Bridging the Skills Gap ………………………………………………………………………….4
Graduates Bridging the Skills Gap ………………………………………………………………………….4
Conclusions and Recommendations ……………………………………………………………………………………6
References ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 1 Reasoning for Unfilled Jobs……………………………………………………………….3
Figure 2 Manufactures’ Survey Results ……………………………………………………………4
Interpreting the Skills Gap 1
Interpreting the Skills Gap
INTRODUCTION
Many college graduates feel prepared for the workforce but enter into their career with a skills
gap causing them not to meet the employer’s expectations.
