Episode: 711

Episode Title: Why Tech Demands Creativity 

The tech industry has a skills gap, and it’s not just in coding skills. Here’s why soft skills are gaining steam as a must-have—next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 711 show:

It’s a new week on The Perna Syndicate and I’m your host, Mark Perna. Last week we talked about how tech companies are trying to bridge the skills gap. It turns out that this gap isn’t just in technical abilities, but also in soft skills (or what I call professional skills).

Research by Experis and the ManpowerGroup uncovered the top five professional skills that tech employers are looking for. And in my opinion, they also apply to almost every other industry out there. 

According to the study, the number-one, most in-demand professional skill sought by tech companies is creativity and originality. They can’t find enough people who have the innate ability to think—and work—outside the box. 

I wonder why this is. It seems like our education and training programs are all about teaching young people the skills to do today’s work. It’s tough to get beyond that and give students and trainees the next-level art of imagining what tomorrow’s work could look like. 

But this is just where I think young people can excel, if we let them. They’re always questioning if there’s a better way to do things. They want to know the why, so that they can improve the how. Sadly, this creative impulse is too often suffocated when we assume they’re just asking why to be subversive or defiant. 

In tech especially, creativity and originality are traits we can’t afford to stifle. I say we let them ask why—and give them real answers they can use to make things better.

Tomorrow on The Perna Syndicate, we’ll talk about another professional skill that tech employees have to have. Take care and we’ll see you then!