KAMLOOPS, B.C., March 9, 2015 – The value of a Bachelor of Arts degree has taken many hits in recent years, but that will turn around as BC employers look for the so-called soft skills a liberal Arts degree provides.
A recent Conference Board of Canada survey of more than 854 employers covering 130,000 employees, found employers projecting there will be skills gaps in the range of intangibles because of looming retirements.
“Employers are also concerned about deficits in essential skills in the workforce, especially critical thinking and problem-solving (73 per cent), oral communication (38 per cent), literacy (36 per cent), and working with others (33 per cent),” reads a synopsis of the report.
TRU is well positioned to fill those shortages because of its range of Arts programming in social sciences the likes of sociology, philosophy, psychology, geography, anthropology as well as in history, modern languages, English, Journalism, and more. An education in those streams is further enhanced through research opportunities, field schools, group projects, and presenting at conferences.
Amanda Oldring graduated in 2007 with a double major in English and Honours Psychology and years later, continues to find her education investment paying off.
“The critical thinking skills and research ability that I gained set the foundation for my current academic and vocational success,” said Oldring, who works as an internet and communications technology consultant in Vancouver.
“No matter where I go, I am valued for my objectivity, my ability to solve problems quickly, and my ability to communicate solutions to diverse audiences,” she said, adding her writing and presentation skills improved immensely through working with peers and faculty.
Her words back up BC Student Outcomes survey results for TRU from 2009 through 2013.
During that time, about 75 per cent of TRU’s Arts graduates found employment, with about 90 per cent saying their education developed the necessary skills for the workplace; skills like communication, critical analysis, problem solving, self learning, and working with groups.
Lindsay Burkatsky is another TRU graduate thankful to have chosen the liberal Arts path. She graduated in 2011 with Honours in Psychology and works as a vocational assistant with a Kamloops company.
“The honours program and the Psychology program taught me to think critically, work independently, and to broaden my knowledge base,” said Burkatsky, adding she regularly applies what she learned at TRU. “Presenting my thesis at three different conferences helped me to step out of the comfort of the classroom and to think on my feet. Those experiences prepared me for life in the outside world.”
Jim Gaisford is the Dean for TRU’s Faculty of Arts and is thrilled to hear intangible skills are paying off for graduates and that employers are recognizing those skills as essential to their operations.
“It’s great to see employers are noticing intangible skills like critical thinking, problem solving, and being able to troubleshoot as essential components of their workforce, whether those employees are on the ground floor or in upper management,” said Gaisford.
“I am proud to say a TRU Arts degree addresses those major concerns and does so because of the very nature of what Arts degrees are. Liberal Arts teaches us to question, creates a thirst for knowledge, and helps us to be more resilient because we’re taught to examine and respect, all angles, viewpoints, and opinions,” said Gaisford.
Media inquiries
Jim Gaisford
Dean, Faculty of Arts
Thompson Rivers University
Phone: 250-828-5170
Email: jgaisford@tru.ca
