Employers across all career areas say stronger soft skills are needed for employees to be successful on the job. Although workers may have the technical skills required to perform their job duties, they will not be successful in their fields if they are consistently late to work, lack the ability to work with others, cannot communicate, or do not dress appropriately.
That is why Flat Rock Middle has initiated Dress for Success every Wednesday for the school’s business education and computer science students. The initiative is to help prepare students to be college and career ready by teaching them the soft skills they will need to be successful in all facets of life.
“Just as they would if they had a job interview or wanted to be part of the work-based learning program, students come in their best attire to set the standard for professionalism,” says Ashley Hare, business education and computer science teacher at Flat Rock.
Males are expected to wear dress shirts, which must be tucked in, along with dress pants, dress shoes, and a tie. Females must wear matching suits, either knee length skirts or ankle length pants, a blouse, and dress shoes. Students can also opt to dress business casual for 90 percent of their grade. They cannot wear athletic shoes or denim; otherwise, they lose all points for the Dress for Success assignment.
