A needs assessment of communication skills needed by trade and industry program graduates of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College

Abstract

The purpose of this needs assessment was to determine the communication skills most important to employers of Trade & Industry program graduates of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (WITC). The assessment used a survey distributed to the employers of graduates in the Machine Tool Technics and Automated Packaging Systems Technician programs. The survey instrument asked employers to identify the primary communication skills (including electronic) necessary for employees of their company. The survey instrument was distributed to employers of 1999 graduates of WITC. A fifty-five percent response rate was tabulated and analyzed. The results indicated that interpersonal communication skills were most important to employers. Specifically, the ability to support relationships with customers was rated as the top subcategory under interpersonal communications. The results as a whole provided insight into the types of communication skills that should be incorporated into these trade and industry degree programs.