21st-Century Skills (5)

- I suppose not even Japan is immune to the forces of change we're talking about. The more I think about the skill sets 21st-century workers need, the more I realize just how important critical thinking is. The thing is, how can you gauge a prospective employee's critical thinking ability?

- That's a tough one, all right. Employers say that's what they're looking for when they assess job candidates. But they often find it hard to describe exactly what critical thinking entails.

- I would say that it means being able to solve problems creatively, to be willing to challenge conventional wisdom, and to not be afraid to make mistakes, and to learn from them.

- When you come right down to it, learning is the key, isn't it? The people who succeed aren't necessarily the most talented. The quality that sets them apart from other folks is that they never stop learning. Most of us go through life thinking that our education stopped when we left school. But if you're trying to increase your knowledge and learn new skills, you will be well ahead of the pack.