About Perkins V

​The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) was signed into law by President Trump on July 31, 2018. This bipartisan measure reauthorized the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) and continued Congress’ commitment in providing nearly $1.3 billion annually for career and technical education (CTE) programs for our nation’s youth and adults.

Perkins V represents an important opportunity to expand opportunities for every student to explore, choose, and follow career and technical education programs of study and career pathways to earn credentials of value. As States and local communities embark on the development of new plans for CTE, the Department hopes that the videos, resources, links, and media found below and throughout this Website can be useful tools for States and local recipients in “rethinking CTE” and arriving at bold goals under the newly-authorized Perkins V statute.

Why Employability Skills?

Successful careers are built on solid personal and interpersonal skills. Defining, measuring, and building these skills— even naming them— can be challenging. In an effort to leverage and connect the efforts of policy makers, educators, and employers, the U.S. Department of Education compiled the Employability Skills Framework and developed related tools, media and resources.

Employability Skills Lesson Components

Applied Knowledge
Applied Academic Skills
Applied academic skills are evident daily in homework assignments, classwork, and Q&A exchanges during lessons.

• Reading skills
• Writing skills
• Math strategies/procedures
• Scientific principles/procedures

Critical Thinking Skills
Critical thinking skills are evident in homework, group work, project-based tasks, and presentations.

• Thinks creatively
• Thinks critically
• Makes sound decisions
• Solves problems
• Reasons
• Plans/organizes

Effective Relationships
Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills are almost always displayed when students work in pairs or teams to complete short-term or long-term tasks.

• Understands teamwork and works with others
• Responds to customer needs
• Exercises leadership
• Negotiates to resolve conflict
• Respects individual differences

Personal Qualities
Personal qualities are routinely displayed in students’ everyday actions in the classroom — how they participate in lessons, communicate, contribute to the learning environment, treat their fellow students, and govern themselves.

• Demonstrates responsibility and self-discipline
• Adapts and shows flexibility
• Works independently
• Demonstrates a willingness to learn
• Demonstrates integrity
• Demonstrates professionalism
• Takes initiative
• Displays a positive attitude and sense of self-worth
• Takes responsibility for professional growth

Workplace Skills
Resource Management
Resource management is often a component of project-based learning and collaborative group work but can also apply to how an individual student manages class time.

• Manages time
• Manages money
• Manages resources
• Manages personnel

Information Use
Information use can include retrieving information from any medium (e.g., print, TV, Internet, or in person) and can be as simple as looking up one piece of information to writing a term paper or preparing an oral presentation.

• Locates
• Organizes
• Uses
• Analyzes
• Communicates

Communication Skills
Routinely displayed in students’ everyday actions in the classroom — how they participate in lessons, contribute to the learning environment, treat their fellow students, and govern themselves.

• Communicates verbally
• Listens actively
• Comprehends written material
• Conveys information in writing
• Observes carefully

Systems Thinking
A team working in sync to accomplish an assignment can be thought of as a system.

• Understands and uses systems
• Monitors systems
• Improves systems

Technology Use
In the classroom and workplace, technology skills typically refer to the use of digital electronics.

• Understands and uses technology