Why Take Courses in Communication Arts?

Job Outlook 2001, an Internet publication of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, states that the 21st Century workplace “increasingly requires employees to work in teams [and] interact effectively with co-workers and customers.” They identified the following communication skills among the Top 10 qualities that employers look for in hiring new employees:
#1 Communication skills (verbal and written)
#2 Honesty/integrity
#3 Teamwork skills (works well with others)
#4 Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
[Source: Job Outlook 2001, “The Perfect Candidate.” http://www.jobweb.com]

Communication Arts classes help you understand why these issues are important and provide you with strategies to communicate more successfully.

According to an article in The Chronicle for Higher Education, American workers surveyed about their educational preparation for the work force rate the ability to communicate and think critically as being more important than computer or other job-specific skills. In a national survey of 1,015 adult workers, 87% of the respondents rated communication skills as being “very important” for performing their jobs. That compares with 50% who rated computer skills as being very important.”
[“Making the Grade? What American Workers Think Should Be Done to Improve Education.” The John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers University and the Center for Survey Research Analysis, University of Connecticut]

Want to learn more about Communication Arts classes and the minor?

Contact one of the following professors in the Communication Arts Program

Brenda DeVore Marshall, Ford Hall T-105 (ext 2802) bmarshal@linfield.edu
Jackson Miller, Ford Hall T-107 (ext 2625) jmiller@linfield.edu