{"id":8995,"date":"2020-05-07T23:02:41","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T23:02:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/?page_id=8995"},"modified":"2025-06-04T19:58:29","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T19:58:29","slug":"competencies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/careersuccess\/competencies\/","title":{"rendered":"Build my Professional Skills"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBuild my Professional Skills<\/b>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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The work environment is changing rapidly and demands a variety of relevant skills and experiences that enhance your degree and professional marketability.<\/p>\n

Become \"workforce ready\" by investing in <\/span>a micro-credential or certification<\/span>, <\/span>applying your learning through a variety of experiences, and clearly articulating your readiness through demonstrated performance of essential work skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

The below tools, trainings<\/span>, methods <\/span>and information will help get you started.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tLearn about In-Demand Technical Skills\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tTake me to the Tools!\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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What does it mean to build my professional skills?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Essential to becoming career ready is the development of\u00a0 WCSU Professional Competencies that you might also think of as skills or behaviors.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main value that all competencies have in common is that they are important to employers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your experiences at WCSU and beyond offer many opportunities to develop and enhance these competencies, including participation in classroom learning,\u00a0 internships<\/a>, co-ops<\/a>, research, virtual experience<\/a>, on-campus involvement<\/a>, work experience<\/a>, micro-internships<\/a> and volunteering<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Why is it essential to become career ready?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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WCSU Professional Competencies have been identified through extensive research and observations conducted by the National Association of Colleges & Employers<\/a>\u00a0(NACE), with input from employers across all industries, as necessary skills for success in today\u2019s workforce and other post-collegiate pursuits.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to prepare yourself for success and set yourself apart from your peers, it\u2019s important to not only to learn more about\u00a0Building Professional Skills <\/em><\/strong>and the WCSU Professional Competencies, but to take action and intentionally build on the competencies you already have and enhance those that need more development.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Take the first step!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Explore below to discover the ten Professional Competencies and click on any icon to start developing skills that employers want today<\/span><\/p>\n

Feel free to\u00a0schedule a meeting with the Career Success Team<\/strong><\/a> in the Career Success Center or walk-in to our Career Success Center located in the Westside Campus Center, Suite 300 .<\/span><\/p>\n

The entire campus community is committed to your success-all you need to do is take that first step!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tExplore the many ways to skill up!<\/b>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tClick on an icon to start developing skills that employers want today\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Open online courses\/workshops<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Language-learning resources<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Parker Dewey Micro-internships<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Parker Dewey is a platform that offers micro-internships, primarily remote, for students and alumni. These internships are sponsored by various companies and are paid opportunities. The duration of these micro-internships is time-bound, typically ranging from 2 to 40 hours. This provides a flexible and rewarding way for students and alumni to gain professional experience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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The Forage Virtual Experience<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The Forage Virtual Experiences is a platform that provides simulations for students and alumni. These virtual experiences are sponsored by Fortune 500 companies and are not paid opportunities. The duration of these experiences is fully flexible, typically ranging from 2 to 8 hours, and can be completed anytime. All of these experiences are remote, offering a convenient way for students and alumni to gain professional experience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Extern Externships<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Extern is a platform that offers practical experience, exposure, and familiarity through externships for students. These externships are sponsored by Fortune 1000 companies and are not paid opportunities, although some do offer a stipend. The duration of these externships is specified, typically ranging from 2 to 8 weeks with 10 to 15 hours per week. All of these externships are remote, providing students with a flexible and convenient way to gain professional experience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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WCSU Internship Program<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The WCSU Internship Program offers semester-long internships for students. These internships are usually paid and offer academic credit. The internships, which provide a semester-long experience, are sponsored by a variety of employers. The duration of these internships is a semester, typically ranging from 50 to 150+ hours. These internships can be both in-person and remote, providing students with a flexible and practical way to gain professional experience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Flex jobs\/Gigs<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Flex Jobs\/Gigs is a platform that offers full-time, part-time, and gig employment opportunities for students and alumni. These jobs are paid and are sponsored by a variety of employers. The platform provides flexibility in terms of commitment, allowing individuals to choose from full-time, part-time, or gig work. All of these opportunities are remote, providing a convenient way for students and alumni to gain professional experience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Online volunteer opportunities<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat Is Upskilling and How Can You Use It to Get the Career You Want?<\/b>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThis article dives deep into the importance of Upskilling and how you can Upskill yourself!\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\tRead this article now!\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"man\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Flex jobs\/Gigs<\/h3><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"Open\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n

Open online courses\/workshops<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"Language-learning\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n

Language-learning resources<\/h3><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"Online\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n

Online volunteer opportunities<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"The\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n

The Forage Virtual Experience<\/h3><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\"Micro-Internships\"\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n

Micro-Internships<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMost In-Demand Technical Skills<\/b>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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In addition to the essential skills that make up the professional competencies, employers will be looking for you to have\u00a0hard skills<\/strong>. Also known as technical skills, these are teachable and job-specific abilities that can easily be quantified.<\/span><\/p>\n

On your resume, we recommend highlighting your professional competencies in your summary or profile section and listing your hard skills in their own section called technical skills. Visit our key resume sections page<\/a>\u00a0to learn more.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHard Skills\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Below is a menu of the 6 main hard skill categories. Click one to learn more about that category and see a list of its most in-demand examples that you can put on your resume.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0Data and Analytical Skills\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Data and analytical skills are a must if you work in research, data science, financial analysis, or any field where processing information is important. They are still relevant outside of these fields, though, to evaluate your success and plan for the future. Examples include:<\/p>\n