The Problem-Solving Gap

Most employers today aren’t asking, “What do you know?” They’re asking, “What can you do?” Problem solving has become one of the most valuable skills in the workforce, yet it’s one of the least consistently developed in school. In this episode, I unpack the growing shift toward skills-based hiring and what it reveals about the gap between how students are taught and what they’ll actually be expected to do beyond the classroom. I share a personal story of being completely unprepared for a job I thought I could handle, walk through how companies are evaluating candidates differently, and offer a practical framework for building problem solving into your existing curriculum. You’ll also hear how small shifts, like modeling thinking, using real-world problems, and incorporating moments of pressure and oral explanation, can change the way students learn without overhauling everything you’re already doing. If we want students to be ready for what’s next, problem solving can’t be an add-on. It has to be part of the daily work. Design Thinking Poster: