Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Critical Thinking

Recently at the University of Southern Maine, members of the Career and Employment Hub’s Employer Advisory Board met with the dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to discuss what the college’s liberal arts graduates could learn from and bring to prospective employers.

The dean, during a conversation about emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, explicitly questioned the ongoing value of undergraduate humanities skills and qualities for local business leaders. The board emphatically replied with a “yes” and then elaborated on the crucial role of writing and critical thinking in facilitating employees’ ability to adjust and develop in work environments where rapid change remains a constant factor.