Employability Skills
As part of National Careers Week we asked our councillors and directors for Birmingham to list their three key employability skills.
Employability Skills
Employability skills, are attributes that are valuable across job roles and industries, making individuals desirable to organisations regardless of their background. We asked councillors and directors for Birmingham to name the top three key skills used in their jobs that help them succeed. The results of our survey are in the graphic below.
Skills Focus
Let’s look at each individual skill, what they mean and how you can build these skills to enhance your employability in your chosen career.
COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION
Good communication is essential in every role, involving tasks such as providing solutions to challenges, keeping project progress updated, presenting data visually in reports, corresponding with colleagues via email or talking to customers. Good communication is highly valued in most jobs.
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Strategic planning
Strategic planning involves creating business strategies, putting them into action, and assessing the outcomes of the plan in relation to a company’s long-term goal or aspirations.
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empathy
Empathy involves understanding and sharing with other people’s emotions. Building your empathy skills enables you to perceive and understand how others think and feel, allowing you to put yourself in their shoes.
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planning & delivery
Planning and delivery skills are practical, everyday abilities that make it easier to handle workloads, accomplish tasks and collaborate with others to make sure any project you are working on is presented well and delivered in a timely manner.
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Negotiation
Negotiation
Negotiation skills are a way to take on board other peoples feelings and express your own requirements in an unemotional clear fashion to achieve a win-win outcome.
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Analytical
Analytical
Strong analytical skills are crucial for tackling complex issues, making well-informed choices, and creating successful solutions. It’s likely that you possess a variety of analytical skills that employers value greatly.
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patience
Patience helps improve communication, collaboration, and logical decision making in the workplace. It is also the ability to wait for events to occur without feeling any negative emotions and responding positively, especially during difficult situations.
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Organisation
Organisation
Organisational skills are essential for meeting deadlines, being punctual and accessing information efficiently. Being organised is a crucial skill in any work environment.
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Reliability
In the workplace, reliability demonstrates consistently finishing tasks on time with high quality. Punctuality, taking initiative during moments of crisis, and meeting deadlines are key attributes of a reliable individual.
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Listening
Listening skills play a crucial role in the workplace, contributing to effective communication, collaboration, and overall productivity.
Showing respect for colleagues’ viewpoints and understanding concerns through active listening creates a positive work environment where everyone’s voice is valued andallows for collaborative problem-solving and tackling challenges together.
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campaign planning
Campaign and Lessons skills require analysing problems and collaborating on potential solutions.
Bringing community members together and establishing new social connections
Developing practical skills, boosting self-esteem, and fostering confidence
Providing individuals with a sense of belonging and direction
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With thanks to Cllr Lee Marsham, Cllr Mary Locke, Cllr Izzy Knowles, Cllr Jayne Francis, Cllr Katherine Iroh and Director of Children’s Services Sue Harrison for contributing.
Do you think you might have the skills to become a councillor, or would like to learn more about the role and what it takes? See the link below for more
https://www.gov.uk/government/get-involved/take-part/become-a-councillo
Birmingham Careers Service provides careers guidance and support to young people aged up to 19 (up to 25 for those with additional needs)
