Evolving to Meet the Needs of Virginia's Employers
Workplace readiness skills have been a part of Virginia's CTE curriculum since 1998, when the first 13 were introduced after research and feedback from employers. Today, there are 22 skills organized around three core areas:
- personal qualities and abilities, like creativity, work ethic, and problem solving;
- interpersonal skills, like conflict resolution, teamwork, and respect for diversity; and
- professional competencies, like information security, professionalism, and career and life management.
Students can demonstrate their knowledge of these competencies — and their preparedness for employment — through the Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth Assessment, which was developed by the Career and Technical Education Consortium of States (CTECS). The assessment is created in coordination with the Virginia Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education. Students who pass the assessment can earn the CTECS WRS Assessment Digital Badge, which proves that the student has passed the exam with a 75% or better score.
Get the Poster
The CTE Resource Center offers an 11x14-inch poster of all 22 Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth.
To order printed copies of the poster, please email us using the Contact Us link and include your name and your school mailing address along with the number of copies you would like (a maximum of 10 per order).
Use the download button below to get the print-ready PDF.
Resources for Educators and Students
The CTE Resource Center, in collaboration with CTECS, has developed instructional resources to introduce or reinforce student understanding of workplace readiness skills (WRS) in the classroom. Mastery of these skills will increase when the concepts and vocabulary are continually applied and reinforced throughout the core competencies of the course.
How to Use the Resources
The Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth instructional resources provide you with an efficient, adaptable set of resources to introduce and/or reinforce student understanding of one of Virginia’s workplace readiness skills. While it is encouraged and expected that instruction in all of the workplace readiness skills will be integrated throughout your course, it is acknowledged that students could also benefit from more explicit instruction, particularly in certain skills.
There are several ways to use the lessons.
Option:
Choose one week (or a series of five class sessions) to focus on the skill. Teach one lesson each day, with the final day reserved for assessment. The lessons can be kept brief (around 30 minutes each day), or they be expanded to create longer lessons, depending on your time constraints and the needs of your students.Option:
If you are on a block schedule or have a long class period, the lessons can be “stacked” and taught back-to-back in two or three classes. Assessment can take place the following class or as a homework assignment.Option:
Individual lessons can be used to supplement your own unit, review something you have already taught, or reinforce an identified weak area.
Whichever option works for you and your students, follow-up is not optional. Real learning is not likely to take place if the concepts and vocabulary are not continually used and reinforced throughout the course. Each lesson provides tips for taking advantage of formal and informal opportunities to reinforce knowledge and skills.
We hope that you and your students enjoy your journey through Virginia’s workplace readiness skills!
Personal Qualities and Abilities
Lesson: I Am Not Creative
Students explore ways they might use creativity in their future career.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
Students will describe a problem-solving strategy/strategies to mitigate a common personal problem.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Exhibiting Motivation
Students will explore the relationship between exhibiting motivation and the concept of initiative.
- Lesson Plan
- Handout: Recognizing Attitude
- Handout: Recognizing Attitude—Sample Student Responses
- Handout: Demonstrating Positive Attitudes
- Journal Assessment Rubric
Lesson: When to Take Initiative and When to Seek Guidance
Students will examine workplace situations and explore when it is appropriate to take initiative vs. when to seek guidance from a superior.
Lesson: Know Your Spark *
What causes us to act and what prevents us from taking action? Knowing the answers can trigger action and help us take initiative.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Integrity Issues
Students will explore various strategies to resolve integrity issues.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Understanding Work Ethic
Students will investigate the concept of work ethic as it relates to workplace readiness.
- Lesson Plan
- Article: Work Ethic and the Skills Gap (PDF)
- Journal Assessment Rubric
- Steps to Solving Ethical Dilemmas: Sample Responses
Lesson: Taking Direction and Responding to Feedback
Students will investigate how taking direction willingly and responding to feedback appropriately contribute to a positive work ethic.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
These resources for advanced courses focus on Personal Qualities and Abilities in the following Career Clusters.
Interpersonal Skills
Lesson: Conflict Resolution
Students will explore types of conflicts in the workplace and the strategies used to resolve those conflicts.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Be a YouTube Career Superstar
Students will research careers in areas of interest and create videos describing what they’ve learned; students will demonstrate best practices in speaking effectively for an audience.
- Lesson Plan
- Handout: 7 Tips for Effective Speaking
- Handout: Career Exploration (KWL Chart)
- Teacher Resource
Lesson: Hearing Versus Listening
Students will differentiate between hearing and listening and will participate in an exercise that emphasizes the importance of giving clear and concise directions as well as listening actively and following directions.
Lesson: Presentation Issues
Teacher will present various strategies students could use to improve their skills for a persuasive presentation.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Characteristics of an Effective Team
Students will describe the characteristics of an effective team member—as well as their own characteristics/strengths/weaknesses—as they relate to working with diverse teams of people.
- Lesson Plan
- Handout: Characteristics of a Great Co-Worker
- Handout: Characteristics of a Great Co-Worker—Sample Responses
- Journal Assessment Rubric
Lesson: Nonverbal and Cross-cultural Communication
Students will explore nonverbal and cross-cultural communication and its effects in a diverse workplace.
- Lesson Plan
- Handout 1: Research Notes
- Handout 2: R-E-S-P-E-C-T
- Handout 2: R-E-S-P-E-C-T—Sample Student Response
Lesson: Interacting with People with Disabilities
Students will explore etiquette followed when interacting with people who have various disabilities.
Lesson: Production Problems
Vocabulary
Lesson: Researching Excellence in Customer Service
Students will explore the concept of customer service and research companies known for excellent customer service.
Lesson: Turning an Unsatisfied Customer into a Satisfied Customer
Students will examine strategies for communicating effectively with unsatisfied or angry customers.
- Lesson Plan
- Handout: Turning a Challenge into an Opportunity
- Handout: Turning a Challenge into an Opportunity—Sample Student Responses
- Teacher Resource: Customer Service Scenarios
Lesson: Understanding Internal Customer Service
Students will describe internal customer service and analyze its effect on external customer service.
- Lesson Plan
- Handout: Internal Customer Service Becomes External Customer Service
- Teacher Resource: Peer-to-Peer Feedback Forms
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Collaborate with Team Members
Students will explore the concept of teamwork and the characteristics of effective team members. Students will reflect on their strengths and weaknesses when working with teams and set teamwork goals.
Lesson: Avoiding Miscommunication
Students will identify the components of communication, explore the factors that make communication complex, and describe strategies for effective communication.
- Lesson Plan
- Handout: Exploring Communication
Lesson: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work*
Teacher will present various strategies students could use to improve their skills for ways teams work.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Professional Competencies
Lesson: Understanding Organizational Vision, Mission, and Values
Students will define organizational vision, mission, and values and explore the role of each in the workplace.
- Lesson Plan
- Handout: Vision and Mission in the Workplace
- Teacher Resources
Lesson: Understanding Organizational Culture
Students will explore the relationship between individual employee values and organizational culture.
- Lesson Plan
- Teacher Resources
- My Ideal Workplace—Journal Assessment Rubric
Lesson: The Big Picture*
The teacher will present various strategies students could use to improve their skills for ways to analyze an organization through the lenses of mission, vision, culture, and organizational roles and influences.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: The What, Why, and How of Exercise
Students will explore types of exercise, the benefits of regular exercise, and strategies for fitting exercise into daily life. Students will create a written plan to create a short-term physical exercise goal.
Lesson: Finding a Career Fit
Students will perform self-assessments of skills, interests, and values and reflect upon compatible career pathways and occupations based upon their unique strengths and preferences.
Lesson: Preparing for a Job Interview
Students will prepare for a job interview by defining the characteristics of a successful interviewee, discussing common interview questions and appropriate answers to them, and by participating in a mock interview.
- Lesson Plan
- Handouts
- Teacher Resource: Common Interview Questions
Lesson: Career and Life Balance *
Teacher will present various strategies students could use to improve their career and life balance.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: The Importance of Adaptability
The student will explore continuous learning and adaptability and will evaluate the importance of these attributes in the workplace.
Lesson: A Close Reading
The student will be able to recognize and define key vocabulary in the task statement and definition. The student will be able to analyze the task definition to identify the key components by applying close-reading strategies.
Lesson: Learning How to Learn*
One of the most important things you can do is to learn. Learning helps to improve ourselves, our situations, and our world. To learn well, you must first want to learn. Then you must commit to learning. That means that you find focused time to learn.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Efficiently Productive
Students will examine ways to improve their efficiency and productivity and adapt four skills to their individual activities.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Understanding Policies
Students will explain sample workplace policies.
- Lesson Plan
- Handouts
- Journal Assessment Rubric
Lesson: Evaluating Internet Resources
Students will analyze Internet sites for credibility.
- Lesson Plan
- Handouts
Lesson: Media Bias*
Students find stories published on the internet that don't seem completely trustworthy. They examine for accuracy and answer questions.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Honing Information Security Skills
Students will understand how information security skills can be improved a home and at school.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Choosing Appropriate Software
Students will identify the various uses for popular software applications and choose the appropriate software application for a variety of work-related tasks.
- Lesson Plan
- Handouts
- Presentation Rubric
Lesson: Managing Files and Folders
Students will identify strategies and best practices for file management.
Lesson: Info Tech*
Teacher will present various strategies students could use to improve cloud computing skills at school and home.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Job-Specific Tools and Tech Matching
Students will learn strategies to improve choosing the right tool for the job.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Using Job-Specific Math
Students will select and apply the correct calculation to everyday workplace mathematics problems.
- Lesson Plan
- Taking the Mystery Out of Word Problems Activity
- My Paycheck Activity
- Part of a Whole Activity
- Dollars and Cents Activity
- A Graph is Worth 1,000 Words Activity
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Approaching a Job Interview
Students will act out interview scenarios demonstrating positive and not-so-positive ways to represent themselves and explore the importance of making good first impressions. Students will identify positive behaviors associated with self-representation and plan for ways to approach a potential employer.
- Lesson Plan
- Handouts
- Journal Assessment Rubric
Lesson: Clothes with Superpowers
Students will explore the correlation between wardrobe and attitude in the workplace.
Lesson: Understanding Dress Codes
Students will explore sample school and professional dress codes and the rationale behind them.
- Lesson Plan
- Handouts
- Teacher Resource: Sample Dress Codes
Lesson: How to Tell a Story ... about Yourself*
The first step in telling a story of yourself is deciding what is appropriate per the company and opportunity you seek.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Reading for Business: Comprehending Informational Texts
Students will read and demonstrate comprehension of informational texts.
Writing for Business: Composing a Résumé
Students will employ best practices in the writing of a résumé.
Writing for Business: Avoiding Common Errors
Students will identify common errors made in word usage and apply correct usage to a business document.
- Lesson Plan
- Handout: Editing a Business Letter
- Answer Key: Editing a Business Letter
Writing Good Well*
Teacher will present various strategies students could use to improve their writing for school or the workplace.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Lesson: Workplace Safety
Students will list and discuss ways to take responsibility for workplace safety.
Vocabulary
The following are vocabulary tools (from Quizlet, a third party platform with free functionality) related to this workplace readiness skill.
Success Stories
- Director of Special Events & Donor Stewardship
- James Madison University Duke Club
- Sherando High School
- Frederick County Public Schools
- Field Artillery Officer
- United States Army
- Mount Vernon High School
- Fairfax County Public Schools
Elizabeth Knick
- Veterinarian
- Franklin County Animal Hospital
- Franklin County High School
- Franklin County Public Schools
- Instrument Electrician
- Phillip Morris USA
- Chesterfield Career and Technical Center
- Chesterfield County Public Schools
