Kingston, Tennessee – June 2, 2021 —WIN Learning, a national leading developer of career readiness solutions, announced today their statewide partnership with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Adult Education (AE) Division. 

“We hear from Tennessee employers all the time how critical it is for their employees to have soft skills,” said Teresa Smith, AE Assistant Administrator, Program Development & Operations. “Our adult education programs across the state have renewed the emphasis on students’ workforce preparation. Teachers and staff are helping students not only with their academic skills but also improving students’ soft skills to help them be more employable.” 

The April 2021 Tennessee Business Barometer report, conducted by the Office of Consumer Research at Middle Tennessee State University’s Jones College of Business, in collaboration with the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, found that the greatest concern Tennessee businesses currently face is staffing priorities of finding, hiring, and training personnel. 

WIN Learning is excited to close the skills gap by partnering with the AE Division to build and measure mastery of the essential soft skills needed in the workplace. The research and competency-based Essential Soft Skills Courseware, and proctored Essential Soft Skills Credential, are being used in several statewide partnerships around the nation. Employers who hired job candidates with the Essential Soft Skills Credential have experienced double-digit increases in employee retention rates.

The Essential Soft Skills Courseware and Credential focus on the subject areas of communicating effectively, conveying professionalism, promoting teamwork and collaboration, along with thinking critically and solving problems. Participants enrolled in the Essential Soft Skills Courseware will complete a pretest to measure their current skill level, then work through instructional content that includes exercises and embedded videos demonstrating the improper and proper way to handle workplace situations. When they have completed the coursework, participants take a short posttest to demonstrate measurable skill gains. Participants who earn the Essential Soft Skills Courseware Certificate of Completion have a greater chance of earning the Essential Soft Skills Credential. 

Participants earn the Essential Soft Skills Credential when they complete the 60-minute proctored Essential Soft Skills Assessment with a scale score of 70 or greater. The credential is a valuable addition to their resume or portfolio and lets employers know they have demonstrated the soft skills needed to succeed in the Tennessee workforce.

About WIN Learning

Since 1996, WIN has become the leading provider of career readiness solutions to help business, industry, workforce, and districts prepare pathways for students’ and job seekers’ futures, whether they are college, trade school, military, or workplace bound. To date, more than 10 million students worldwide have participated in the specialized career-driven courseware and education intervention initiatives as well as career-readiness certification programs. For more information, go to www.winlearning.com or call 888-717-9461.  

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