Resilience

From 2014 to 2017 I had the pleasure of working with some amazing people and being the Director, Northeast Resiliency Consortium (NRC) at Passaic County Community College. The NRC was made up of seven community colleges, several national partners and more than 200 employers who were working to design and deliver programming and technology to help build a more adaptive, resilient workforce in industries central to preventing, responding to, and recovering from disasters and crises. The project was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.

Now in my role at Kean University as Assistant Director, Internships for the Office of Career Services I started thinking about how my experience with the NRC could inform students today as we determine the critical ways we'll need to respond to the Coronavirus outbreak.

In this time of extreme uncertainty the work that we did as part of the NRC seems more relevant to students, workers and employers today than ever. Teaching and learning resilience is most effective when practicing it. In the current COVID-19 crisis, students, workers and even employers have the opportunity to demonstrate the skills and competencies necessary to be resilient when faced with challenges. The NRC defined resiliency as “an individual’s persistent development and application of knowledge, skills, and resources that effectively help one adapt to change and overcome adversity.” Sounds like something that people need during this time.

The NRC determined that learning resiliency has profound social-emotional benefits for individuals. It not only encompasses preparing for and preventing disasters and crises like the one we’re in the midst of; it is also critical for both workers and employers to remain relevant in today’s changing economy in the face of expanding global competition or threats, evolving technologies, and demands for a workforce with advanced skills that need continual upgrading in a knowledge-driven economy.

In order to give faculty and staff the tools needed to help teach resilience, the NRC developed a tool called the The Resiliency Competency Model. The model outlined the knowledge, skills, and resources students can learn to use to adapt to change. The resiliency competencies were created through a rigorous competency model development process that included the feedback of many employers, faculty, students and other staff. The model identified critical thinking, adaptability, self-awareness, reflective learning, and collaboration, as the critical competencies which help people in different ways to rise above the challenges they face. 

In an effort to help students who are working and/or interning during the current crisis I will elaborate on each of the five competencies below. During this time, do your best to practice and demonstrate these competencies as your value to your employer and your community will continue to increase.

Critical Thinking -defined by the NRC as the purposeful use of reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches in diverse situations.

Example Actions that workers can demonstrate include:

? Focusing on relevant and unique factors

? Analyzes situations for opportunities and challenges 

? Identifies current resources and evaluates the gaps in needed resources 

? Proposes alternative options and strategies using analysis and evaluation

? Makes informed decisions

Adaptability - defined as successful adjustment to a variety of positive and negative conditions and circumstances. This is especially relevant in the current environment for both workers and employers. Working from home will now be a requirement for many, are both the employer and employee prepared for that and can they adapt to what that will mean for both.

Example Actions

? Demonstrates curiosity, flexibility and openness to change

? Pursues alternative solutions, including effective use of technology

? Acknowledges when change is needed and takes proper action

Self-Awareness - defined as clear understanding of one’s qualities, characteristics, strengths and weaknesses, and how they impact one’s self and others. During this time take care of yourself. You’ll be more effective at work if you’re taking care of yourself.

Example Actions

? Engages in self-assessment and introspection, recognizing one’s own emotions

? Identifies potential barriers (e.g., physical, emotional, and psychological)

? Makes confident, committed, and motivated choices

? Asks for support when appropriate

Reflective Learning - defined as the integration and application of prior and current learning to new situations. Use what you've learned in your classwork and in prior work experiences and make this work for you now.

Example Actions

? Describes own best learning strategies

? Builds on prior knowledge and experiences with current knowledge

? Determines what learning is needed to move forward

? Learns from the effects of one’s actions and makes improvements

Collaboration - defined simply as works with others to achieve a goal. Collaboration during this time is critical to overcoming the challenges we face. In this case collabotation by all of us will help decrease the curve. Social distancing by all is critical.

Example Actions

? Initiates giving and receiving information, facilitating communications among the group

? Resolves conflicts by advocating for and engaging in compromise

? Engages in the development of relationships

? Prioritizes group goals while recognizing individual interests

? Demonstrates willingness to come to agreement with others

? Uses technology effectively to foster communication and teamwork

Students, Interns, Workers, Faculty, Staff and Employers it is our hope that you'll do your very best to practice and demonstrate these competencies, so as a community we can get through this challenging time and bounce back even stronger. Rebuilding after we get through this outbreak will require many of these competencies, so be prepared to utilize them then as well. We will all get through this, but only if we do it together.