Giving Compass' Take:

• James Paterson at Education Dive discusses a new report stating that graduates need a mix of technical and human skills and how liberal arts colleges need to teach both hard and soft skills. 

• Why is it important for colleges to teach students both hard and soft skills? How do these skills influence the future success of students? 

• Learn how colleges are adapting to workforce development mandates and teaching hard and soft skills. 

The spiraling debate about whether colleges are appropriately providing graduates with the skills they need for the job market has spun out a variety of suggestions and criticisms — some blaming higher education, some suggesting the responsibility should be shared and at least one report finding the claims may be overstated.

Recommendations published last month from the Education Commission of the States called for higher education to do a better job of collaborating with employers and using data to align curriculum with workforce needs. In addition, a study released in May from Learning House based on a survey of some 600 human resources professionals, indicated that half believed colleges are not preparing students for work and one third felt higher education was responsible for doing so. Hundreds of jobs are going unfilled at a majority of the companies surveyed, yet the report found most firms are spending just $500 per employee on training and development.

A recent report from staffing firm ManpowerGroup indicated that nearly half (46%) of U.S. employers say they're having trouble filling jobs, due primarily to a lack of applicants and a gap in required skills among them. Among companies with 250 or more employees, 58% reported having such hiring problems.

Read the full article about hard and soft skills by James Paterson at Education Dive.