Agriculture Workforce Training for Collaborative Leadership (AWT4CL)

Author: Megan M. Seibel     -- Elevating Workforce Readiness with Digital Learning Badges: Recognize and Deal Constructively with Conflict In the workplace environment, change is inevitable. Accepting the type of change, aspects of the change, and impacts on those in the middle of it is not always easy or well-managed. The Recognize and Deal Constructively with Conflict digital learning badge (Badge 10) signifies a person’s appreciation and understanding of conflict management in the workplace. For educators and facilitators, integrating this badge into curricula reinforces essential skills that bridge the gap between academic preparation and workforce expectations. The Importance of Recognizing and Dealing Constructively with Conflict Consider the following observation from a report on "Conflict and Disagreement at the Farm" : For most of us, conflict can be a negatively loaded word. Wherever choices exist, there is potential for disagreement. Such differences, when h...

Author: Megan M. Seibel     -- Elevating Workforce Readiness with Digital Learning Badges: Accept and Apply Critique In today’s evolving workplace, adaptability and effective communication are critical for professional growth. The Accept and Apply Critique and Direction in the Workplace digital learning badge (Badge 08) empowers learners to embrace constructive feedback as an essential tool for improvement. For educators and facilitators, integrating this badge into curricula reinforces essential skills that bridge the gap between academic preparation and workforce expectations. The Importance of Accepting and Applying Critique Receiving feedback with a positive attitude and turning it into actionable improvement is a valuable skill. In APLU's report on Critical Growth Areas for Students Today , "accept and apply critique and the direction in the workplace" is the third largest preparedness gap identified by employers.  This badge helps learners address this gap and...

Author: Jama S. Coartney     -- Empowering Students Through Curiosity: Embedding the “Ask Good Questions” Badge into Your Curriculum The ability to ask good questions can be a differentiator in the workplace. Beyond the classroom, it’s about cultivating curiosity, fostering deeper understanding, and building authentic professional relationships. Yet, despite its critical role in communication and career readiness, question-asking is often an underdeveloped skill. Why “Asking Good Questions” Matters Research highlights a significant disconnect in perceptions about career readiness. While students rate themselves as fairly competent at asking questions, employers and faculty often disagree. This gap points to a need for intentional instruction and practice to better develop this skill. Asking good questions is particularly crucial in fields like agriculture, where learners frequently interact with diverse stakeholders, including farmers, specialists, and policymakers. Her...

Author: Jama S. Coartney     -- Boosting Workforce Readiness: Integrating the “Listen Effectively” Badge into Your Curriculum Why Listening Matters Now More Than Ever In the evolving workforce, communication is more than just speaking clearly—it’s about truly listening. Listening effectively is a foundational skill for career readiness that too often gets overlooked. According to the APLU report on Critical Growth Areas for Students Today, “Listen Effectively” is a competency where students frequently overestimate their preparedness compared to assessments from faculty and employers. The takeaway? Listening needs a more intentional place in our curricula. As educators and workforce readiness professionals, we can bridge this gap with a simple but impactful tool: digital learning badges . Introducing the Listen Effectively Digital Learning Badge The Listen Effectively Badge is one of three digital learning badges in a professional communication series, alongside Co...