When kids dream of becoming astronauts, artists, writers, doctors, or scientists, they often picture the excitement of the job—soaring through space, saving lives, writing the next best-seller or mega-hit, or making groundbreaking discoveries. As kids, they don’t always think about the skills those careers require. We—the adults in their lives—understand that technical knowledge is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to having a career. Success in any field relies heavily on character skills like communication, empathy, and collaboration. With AI transforming many industries, these interpersonal skills are becoming more essential than ever. It’s not just about what kids know—it’s about how they connect, lead, and adapt.
The New Demands of an AI Driven Workforce
As businesses increasingly seek leaders who excel in emotional intelligence, it’s becoming clear that the foundations of these vital skills should be laid early—ideally in elementary school. Imagine practicing how to effectively work as a team when you’re 6, 7, or 8 years old. Imagine identifying and labeling various emotions you might feel in a day and understanding how to control those emotions, establishing a deeper understanding of self-awareness. The foundation built through the repetition of these lessons is what career readiness grows from. At WINGS, we see firsthand the importance of nurturing social-emotional learning (SEL) in children, and we know it’s a key driver of future success—not only in school but also in a workforce that increasingly demands emotional intelligence.
Everything we do—from operating afterschool programs, to professional development, to our work with partners—is built around teaching the critical skills kids need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. These competencies like relationship-building, self-management, and decision-making are essential for academic achievement and are increasingly sought after by companies looking for future leaders.
Connection, Collaboration, Community: The Human Element
Learning vital social-emotional skills benefits not only kids during early childhood and employees in the workplace, but it also strengthens businesses by fostering a more collaborative, empathetic, and emotionally intelligent workforce, which leads to higher productivity and a positive company culture. As automation and artificial intelligence take on more tasks in the workplace, the human touch—collaboration, communication, and understanding—becomes more essential than ever. SEL helps kids chart a pathway to these vital future skills early on.
Wings for Kids CEO Julia Rugg puts it best: “It’s not enough for the goal to be that kids stay in school. Kids need to be charting a pathway to a future while they’re in school. It’s not enough to thrive in life for your own happiness and success, it’s about you and everyone around you thriving together, because connectedness and belonging are what brings happiness and success.”
By embedding SEL into early education, we’re setting kids on a path where they not only stay engaged in school but are prepared to thrive in any environment, from the classroom to the boardroom. WINGS is proud to play a part in this important work, helping to build the next generation of leaders.