The Relevance of Humanities to the 21st Century Workplace

CHAPTER 2

The Comprehension Disconnect

Happiness does not come from a job. It comes from knowing what you truly value, and behaving in a way that’s consistent with those beliefs.1

―Mike Rowe

Introduction

Employers understand the value of the humanities. They did decades ago and continue to do so. Unfortunately, many higher education leaders and faculty have failed to understand, communicate, and educate students on this view expressed by employers. When higher education institutions recognize the value employers place on the humanities, students and graduates will have a better sense of how to apply their liberal arts education to employment opportunities. Unfortunately, since the post–World War II era of the 1950s and continuing until the present ...