Even in the age of AI, soft skills still matter.
That was the overwhelming sentiment when Education Week posed a question on social media asking readers to weigh in on what they believe are the most essential soft skills students should develop at school.
Critical thinking and communication were top responses. That’s most likely a reflection of the need educators see for those foundational skills, at a time when technology, particularly AI, is evolving rapidly and teachers are worried about students becoming overly dependent on it.
The ability to communicate well and sell your expertise matters more than ever to stand out in a crowded job market. Some schools have even experimented with “reverse career fairs” where students set up booths to showcase their skills to potential employers as a way to practice advocating for themselves.
In a recent Education Week story, we asked top executives from companies like Microsoft and Google what skills are lacking in the next generation of workers. They pointed to soft skills being more of a differentiator than technical prowess.
In a 2025 Education Week interview, Bryan Quick, director of talent acquisition at Abbott, a global health care company, said, “Young professionals are incredibly talented and highly skilled, but often they need a boost when it comes to foundational skills such as interpersonal communication, making decisions on their own, or applying their knowledge creatively.”
That includes, he added, how they respond “when they need to ask questions or challenge assumptions or propose a new idea.”
Here are the top 5 soft skills educators on social media say students should cultivate.
Self-Regulation
Self-regulation. 💛 Reading, writing, and math are important, but the ability to manage emotions, work through challenges, communicate with others, and keep going when things get hard supports success in every area of life. As an early childhood professional, I’ve seen how powerful these skills are when they are nurtured early.
How to pay attention. If you can't pay attention - it's very hard to learn.
It starts with the core executive functions: working memory, impulse control, and cognitive flexibility. All of the other "soft" skills develop from strong EF. If we start introducing them and practicing them in preschool, we can help build self-awareness and self-regulation.
Resilience
Resiliency. Kids give up when learning gets challenging. They avoid ‘thinking’, and/or don't have the skills/mindset to persist, teachers jump in to 'rescue’ them by providing the answer or over-scaffolding. This leads to teacher burnout and admin frustration. But these issues are part of a system problem. Do schools have systems in place that reward the productive struggle, that support teachers in designing lessons and teaching for resiliency and agency? Or do they have systems in place that rewards pacing, coverage and control?
Resilience and how to handle it when things don’t go your way; being a gracious “loser”
Resilient problem solving and collaborative teamwork are responses that indicate adaptability or a growth mindset using best practices. It’s the process that matters.
Critical Thinking
All of the above plus critical thinking skills, finding and evaluating quality information, and academic integrity - key skills in an increasingly complex learning environment heavily influenced by GenAI.
Critical thinking, and evaluating the quality of information and its sources
Critical thinking. Don’t just learn to memorize and repeat facts. Ask “Who, why, what, where, when, and how?” and if the teacher can’t answer to your satisfaction, learn to find the answer on your own.
Communication/Listening
Active Listening: eye contact, acknowledgment of what was heard before giving a response.
Listen to comprehend vice listening to respond.
Active listening and how to hold conversations personally and professionally.
Collaboration
Collaboration and problem solving in small teams....
First we shouldn’t call them soft skills any longer, these are POWER SKILLS, and true collaboration which includes effective communication should absolutely be a bigger focus.
Empathy and collaboration. If everyone had a healthy dose of both skills, the world would be a much better place.
