Kim Hayhurst, Hey K Marketing Creative Director

By Mandy Vocke

Liberal arts demand

Growing demand for people with a Liberal Arts background, study says

May 10, 2019 | 3:24 PM

PRINCE GEORGE— In a technically advancing world, it may be assumed there’s mostly a demand for people with technical skills. According to a recent RBC study, that may not be the case. The study found there’s a need for people with liberal arts backgrounds, even in technical fields.

‘Bridging the Gap’ connected with more than 5,000 workers and employers in the country. One of the main findings was there’s an increasing demand for people with skillsets, such as communication skills and creativity, that many with a liberal arts background have.

Kim Hayhurst started her own marketing business, Hey K. She has a background in the arts, which she says has been a catalyst in her marketing career.

“I think it’s been probably the single thing that has advanced my career faster than I ever would have expected,” Hayhurst says. “When I came into jobs, I was able to bring a skillset and a perspective that others weren’t able to bring.”

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The study showed a 17.5% decrease in enrolment in Humanities programs, and a 45% increase in Mathematics and Computer Sciences programs between 2011 and 2017.

UNBC President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Daniel J. Weeks says there has been a similar trend at UNBC because many students don’t realize the importance of soft skills.

Interdisciplinary learning, or combining hard and soft skills together in post-secondary education, is a solution that may arise to bridge the gap heading into the 2020s.