Problem solving skills more important than A Level Results

Burgess Hill Girls hosted a seminar by leading education expert Mungo Dunnett on the skills that will best prepare teenagers to be successful in the future workplace. Top of his list was the ability to solve complex problems.

Parent seminars are a regular event at Burgess Hill Girls, providing the means to keep parents, staff and pupils informed of the latest developments in education and society.

The first seminar of the year, 'Employability, Success and Happiness: the characteristics of success for 22 – 24 year olds in the workplace', was presented by education expert Mungo Dunnett at Burgess Hill Girls on Thursday 12th September.

During the seminar Mungo revealed the job market is becoming increasingly fluid and employers are changing their recruitment criteria. Academic results still have enormous value, but of greater importance are graduates with excellent people skills, creativity and the ability to solve complex problems. These were three of the top ten skills Mungo advised teenagers to focus on at school to secure a top graduate position.

In order of priority the top ten skills were:

1. Complex Problem Solving

2. Critical Thinking

3. Creativity

4. People Management

5. Coordinating with Others

6. Emotional Intelligence

7. Judgement and Decision Making

8. Service Orientation

9. Negotiation

10. Cognitive Flexibility

Head Liz Laybourn commented: “We fully support Mungo’s emphasis on cognitive and people skills. We must provide our students with all the skills they need to succeed in the world of work beyond university. Our innovative BOLD programme in the Sixth Form is a perfect example of how we achieve this. We also believe in starting early, providing a strong foundation from the age of five in our Junior School, so that pupils are well on their way to mastering these skills by the time they leave us at eighteen.”