Sophie Okolo, MPH

Written By Sophie Okolo

For Millennials, expanding job skills in today’s fast-changing economy is vital. With student loan debt and looming job prospects, generation Y needs to prepare themselves for gainful employment and career advancement.

Read More: Is College Becoming a Gamble?

These days, having only a college degree is not sufficient as employers are now looking for specific skills. “Managers place value on people who show up on time, work in a team environment, take direction from a supervisor and demonstrate critical thinking skills for problem solving,” according to Michael Gritton, executive director of Kentuckiana Works.

While a university education does not train students in the areas mentioned above, Millennials can take advantage of their university’s career centers since these centers offer services and resources such as internships, career development programs and more. Generation Y can also improve their leadership and communication skills so as to develop job skills and succeed in the workplace.

Read More: Millennials Need To Expand Job Skills To Advance Careers

In the US, education is skewed toward elite schools, but graduates from such schools still find it difficult to secure gainful employment. As a result, Millennials are now showcasing their talents by becoming entrepreneurial; this sets them apart from their peers even as their projects are in the initial stages. The goal is to continue learning new skills as well as improving old ones.

For young adults who are no longer in college, it is not too late to acquire specific skills. Online education resources such as Udemy provide training to job seekers and so candidates should make use of such opportunities, especially as they do not require a lot of time and money. Sanjay Modi, Asia managing director of recruitment site Monster.com states, “There is a huge skill mismatch between what the education industry imparts them with and the actual skills needed by employers, which results in employers spending a substantial amount of infrastructure on learning and development tools.”

While demand for job candidates in their twenties is high, it is important that Millennials position themselves for a successful education and career in today’s fast-changing economy.

What skills do Millennials need to succeed today? Are you making use of your school’s career center?