Skillsline: Developing Career-Ready Human Skills

On one of our most recent town halls, Next Generation Learning Goals: What Should Students Know we focused much of the conversation on skills frameworks, portraits of a graduate and conversations about the VUCA future. We also discussed that when learners develop skills, they simultaneously need to develop the confidence to articulate their strengths and areas for improvement to aid the job interview process. Skillsline helps to bridge this gap by supporting young people in developing job-ready skills

Used by Jobs for America’s Graduates- Louisiana (JAG-LA), the platform offers a scaffolded learning experience, grounded in learning and behavioral science that teaches students the essential human skills they need for workforce success. With an engaging mobile-first learning platform, Skillsline meets learners where they are, lifting the burden from facilitators.

Courtney Reilly launched Skillsline in 2020 after six years leading the ASU+GSV Summit. Reilly also spent four years leading growth initiatives for Phyllis Lockett at LEAP Innovations in Chicago.

While other startups were accepting big venture checks in the gogo days of ‘21 (and are now saddled with ridiculous valuations), Reilly and co-founder Chris Mackey bootstrapped Skillsline by living on contracts and delivering value through teaching the fundamentals of durable human skills.

The Skillsline learning model is based on an online suite of 10-minute micro-lessons using a Socratic learning method, with wrap-around acilitation supports such as instructor guides, discussion questions, and journal prompts. The platform is also equipped with assessment tools that allow learners to track their progress with knowledge-based assessments and surveys of learner confidence.

More on a Skills-First Approach

Pavel Luksha on the Future of Skills (Getting Smart)

Stephanie Short and David Zasada on Design For Delight and Durable Skills (Getting Smart)

Next Generation Learning Goals: Tim Taylor, America Succeed on Durable Skills (Getting Smart)

​​The High Demand for Durable Skills (America Succeeds)

Why Skills-Based Hiring Is On The Rise (Forbes)

The future of jobs requires a ‘skills-first’ mindset – for employers and for you (WEF)

The Future of Jobs Report 2023 (WEF)

The learning content is organized around 35 skills that commonly appear in various “soft” or “21st century” skill frameworks, ensuring that it can be easily aligned to any organization’s existing framework or set of standards. Already available are alignment guides to Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) competencies and Indiana’s employability and work ethic skills.

Skillsline is the skills-building partner of American Student Assistance and their new EvolveMe platform which helps middle and high school students explore careers and develop job-ready skills. It emphasizes the importance of teaching learners the language of durable human skills and how to recognize them in the context of work–enabling students to be more intentional when practicing and building skills, while also developing the ability to advocate for their capabilities.