In addition to training for the career of your choice, there are a number of skills employers want you to learn at career colleges that will help make you a valuable asset in the workforce.

These are skills that you can learn both inside and outside the classroom, in the cafeteria, in the library, by participating in sports, and while working at after school jobs, internships, and work terms.

These Skills Are Assets to Every Company

1. You Know How to Work Hard – As well as having some fun, you need to learn how to apply yourself to your studies. You don’t have to be at the top of your class, but you need to have a good work ethic and learn that perseverance—sticking to a challenging task until you have mastered it—will equip you to succeed in the workforce even better than high marks.

2. You Communicate Well – Pay attention to the comments made by your teachers when they assess your written and oral work. You need good communication skills in the workplace, which includes listening attentively. Your ability to understand and relay information both formally and informally using the correct terminology can really help push you up the ladder to success on the job.

3. You Get Along With People – “Getting along” means that you can build and maintain good relationships with people, and you can lead a group and work well in a team, too. Employers like to hire people who are comfortable with teamwork and college is a good place to practice this skill.

You may prefer to work alone knowing that some students won’t do their share, will miss deadlines, and let down the team. However, it is valuable to learn how cope with these problems and practice motivating team members to cooperate, as well as always having a back-up plan for those occasions when a team member doesn’t do his job.  You’ll need this skill in the workforce, too.

4. You Have Good Organizational Skills – You need to keep track of all your projects and all the details of each job, and be able to meet your deadlines. Having good organizational skills means you can manage your time in order to meet all your obligations while remembering all the details. Attending college is a really good opportunity to find out what works best for you:

• Busy people don’t rely on memory only—they use notebooks, to-do lists, day-planners, sticky notes, and messages to themselves on their phones and tablets.
• Learn how to prioritize and plan how and when to take care of essential work along with all other tasks.
• Practice breaking down jobs and assignments into manageable sizes over the period of time it will take to complete the work.
• Reduce your tendency to put off important assignments and studying until the last minute. Employers like workers who can juggle all their tasks without forgetting anything or missing their deadlines.

5. You Understand the Big Picture – Show that you know what employers want when you apply for a job. In your resume, be sure and list not only your college credits, but also your experience in sports, volunteer work, and after school job experience, emphasizing what you learned that will make you a good employee.

As well as training for the career of your choice at a private career college, be sure and take the opportunity to learn the additional skills all employers value in their employees.