Technological progress has increased the demand for highly skilled work,
increasing the value for the higher education degrees and unique skills. Tony Wagner
from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (2008) documented the skills that
American students need to thrive in a new flattened workforce. The skills were
formulated by Wagner’s own personal discussions with Chief Executive Officers (CEO)
of Fortune 500 companies. The company leaders stressed the lack of seven skills in their
newly hired employees. Business leaders believe that the 21st century workers must
encompass the ability to think critically, collaborate, adapt, have initiative, oral and
written communication, access and analyze information and use imagination (Wagner,
2008). Wagner’s set of survival skills is reflected in many frameworks such as the
SCANS from the nineties and other frameworks for 21st century skills.