How a Secondary Liberal Arts Education Can Benefit Your Child Now and in the Future

An increasing emphasis on vocational training as a clear path to a career has, perhaps inadvertently, painted a liberal arts education in a negative light. Interestingly, however, the soft skills cultivated by a liberal arts education are increasingly sought after by employers. According to a 2019 post in the Harvard Business Review, 80% of employers agree that all students need a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences. A liberal arts education can begin in grade school and continue through university studies. 

A liberal arts education develops people skills

With an education that encompasses a wide variety of sciences, arts, and humanities, students learn to express their feelings and develop a healthy sense of empathy. They learn how to step outside of themselves and see situations from the viewpoints of others. This translates into effective people skills that allow them to lead organizations, clubs or sports teams in high school and college and lead teams of coworkers in the workforce. Students with a liberal arts education learn how to engage with people in an increasingly globalized and rapidly changing world.

A liberal arts education develops communication skills

Writing and communicating ideas effectively is a major emphasis in liberal arts classes. Students learn to identify their viewpoints and communicate them in writing and in front of their peers in a clear and persuasive fashion. Liberal arts students learn to create and defend well-supported arguments, an esteemed skill in workforce leadership positions. 

A liberal arts education develops critical-thinking skills

Delving into the liberal arts gives students the opportunity to explore and process a wide range of topics and perspectives. It also helps students understand the limits of different perspectives, get in touch with their biases and be in tune with others’ biases. The critical thinking skills that emerge from a liberal arts education are highly regarded in the workforce and a necessary skill set in modern society. 

A liberal arts education develops analytical skills 

Whether it’s interpreting a poem or assessing a scientific finding, liberal arts students are constantly engaging their analytical brains. These carefully honed analytical skills translate well into jobs that require their employees to assess and interpret vast amounts of data. 

A liberal arts education develops creative skills and the ability to think outside the box

Generating new ideas and looking at literature or art from a new perspective is a major emphasis of a liberal arts education. In this process, students learn to challenge convention and innovate, skills that make effective leaders in business and life. 

A liberal arts education makes choosing a career easier 

A secondary liberal arts education provides students with a wide variety of academic exposure. As a result, these students discover their passions and career interests at a younger age which helps prepare them to make career decisions sooner than their high school peers. 

A liberal arts education helps your child stand out from competitors 

With so many fields saturated by highly trained and specialized employees, getting a job can be challenging and the competition can be fierce. When your child pursues an education in one of these fields in combination with studies in the liberal arts, they stand head and shoulders above their competition. Employers recognize the soft skills these well-rounded candidates possess and are more inclined to choose them to fill these in-demand positions. 

 

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