By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
'Soft skills' are important at work, and in life
a79e47835e23738e8978a871b9e86cff20f87c662f2182f97d9d40ef3258e7e6
A degree from a prestigious university isn't as important as a good work ethic, the ability to work with a team and other so-called "soft skills," according to a new survey. And those soft skills help outside the office, too. - photo by Greg Kratz
It's interesting living with a high school junior.

Not only do you get to experience all the joys and, yes, challenges of parenting a teenager who is starting to spread her wings, but you also notice other strange changes to daily life.

One basic difference we've noticed lately is that our daughter is getting more mail than we are. That's particularly amazing considering the seemingly never-ending stream of bills we receive.

Based, I suppose, on her high grades, good test scores and interest in a career in architecture or engineering, she receives at least one letter or postcard from a college or university every day. She's heard from in-state schools, but also from colleges as far away as Florida, Texas, Oregon, Chicago and St. Louis. Heck, she's even received mail from Harvard and Yale.

And her email inbox has been flooded with even more requests for attention from colleges.

None of this matters much to her, because her heart is set on attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. But it is shocking to realize that I have a child who will soon be choosing a college and leaving home to further her education.

Shocking and a bit frightening, frankly.

The good news is that I know she'll be a great student, wherever she ends up. She is organized, focused and hardworking, and she has outstanding study skills. She also seems to have an innate sense of balance that helps her realize when it's time to work and when it's time to play. That should serve her well as she moves out on her own.

Those same characteristics also should set her apart as she enters the workforce. That feeling was reinforced for me last week as I perused the results of a recent survey by Instructure, a software-as-a-service company that created the Bridge learning and engagement platform.

The Instructure survey sought out more than 750 managers at U.S. companies during December 2014, asking which factors were most important to them when hiring entry-level employees and how they think today's young workers are matching up to those expectations.

According to the survey, where my daughter attends college isn't that important. Seventy-nine percent of respondents said a candidate's prestigious schooling was the least important consideration when they considered hiring an entry-level job candidate.

Well, that's a relief! I don't think Harvard and Yale were in our price range, anyway.

But what do those managers want to see in their new hires? The results may surprise you.

According to the Instructure survey, 88 percent of managers said new hires needed a strong work ethic to succeed, but only 15 percent said their new hires possessed that trait. Next on the scale of importance for success was teamwork, with 70 percent of managers touting it as necessary, while only 19 percent said their new hires had that characteristic.

Professionalism was third on the list, with 64 percent of managers saying new hires needed it, but only 11 percent indicating their recent additions had it. That was followed by critical thinking and problem solving, time management and interpersonal communication, which were all identified as important by 60 percent of managers in the Instructure survey.

If this is all true, I believe my oldest daughter is going to be one of those new hires who excels once she lands her first professional job. Her work ethic is incredible, and she definitely understands the importance of teamwork.

During the last few months, she has juggled a demanding academic schedule, piano lessons, church activities, mock trial team competitions and participation in a theater competition and production. The latter was especially challenging, as it included all-day rehearsals and, finally, performances last week, all as she approached the end of a term at school.

To be honest, this has caused her some stress at times. (After all, she is my daughter.) But she has handled it admirably, and I know the time management and coping skills she is developing now will serve her well in the years to come.

But that's probably enough of me rambling about my amazing daughter. (Believe me, I could go on and on!)

Another part of the Instructure survey addressed the training new employees receive when they enter the workforce. I've written before about the importance of orientation and training for a company's workers, and I believe it is crucial to their success.

The Instructure survey found that only 8 percent of managers "say entry-level employees are very prepared to immediately contribute to their organization," according to an infographic about the results. "Managers hire employees based on attitude and work ethic, then hope to effectively train them to develop other skills they need to excel in an entry-level position.

"While 85 percent of managers feel their organization is effective at training new employees overall, only a small percentage of managers feel that their training is effective in improving vital attributes."

Training is Instructure's business, so it's no surprise that the company would call this out in its survey. However, it's still a valid point.

Also valid is the emphasis on so-called "soft skills" like teamwork, a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. These things may not be taught in college, but they are important to success in Cubeville or anywhere else. I've found that the average family runs much more smoothly when its members work hard, get along and stay positive.

I hope my daughter will remember all of this as she continues her education and eventually starts her own career and family. Because when it comes to work-life balance, those basic skills make all the difference.
Sign up for our E-Newsletters
Record April boosts Savannah's container trade at port
GardenCityTerminal
The Port of Savannah moved 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units in April, an increase of 7.1 percent. - photo by Provided

The Georgia Ports Authority's busiest April ever pushed its fiscal year-to-date totals to more than 3.4 million 20-foot equivalent container units (TEUs), an increase of 8.8 percent, or 280,000 TEUs, compared to the first 10 months of fiscal 2017.

"We're on track to move more than 300,000 TEUs in every month of the fiscal year, which will be a first for the authority," said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. "We're also anticipating this to be the first fiscal year for the Port of Savannah to handle more than 4 million TEUs."

April volumes reached 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units, up 7.1 percent or 23,700 units. As the fastest growing containerport in the nation, the Port of Savannah has achieved a compound annual growth rate of more than 5 percent a year over the past decade.

"As reported in the recent economic impact study by UGA's Terry College of Business, trade through Georgia's deepwater ports translates into jobs, higher incomes and greater productivity," said GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood. "In every region of Georgia, employers rely on the ports of Savannah and Brunswick to help them become more competitive on the global stage."

To strengthen the Port of Savannah's ability to support the state's future economic growth, the GPA Board approved $66 million in terminal upgrades, including $24 million for the purchase of 10 additional rubber-tired gantry cranes.  

"The authority is committed to building additional capacity ahead of demand to ensure the Port of Savannah remains a trusted link in the supply chain serving Georgia and the Southeast," Lynch said.

The crane purchase will bring the fleet at Garden City Terminal to 156 RTGs. The new cranes will support three new container rows, which the board approved in March. The additional container rows will increase annual capacity at the Port of Savannah by 150,000 TEUs.

The RTGs will work over stacks that are five containers high and six deep, with a truck lane running alongside the stacks. Capable of running on electricity, the cranes will have a lift capacity of 50 metric tons.

The cranes will arrive in two batches of five in the first and second quarters of calendar year 2019.

 Also at Monday's meeting, the GPA Board elected its officers, with Jimmy Allgood as chairman, Will McKnight taking the position of vice chairman and Joel Wooten elected as the next secretary/treasurer.

For more information, visit gaports.com, or contact GPA Senior Director of Corporate Communications Robert Morris at (912) 964-3855 or rmorris@gaports.com.

Latest Obituaries