As an educator with years of experience in community colleges, I have often reflected on what drives career success today. One moment that reshaped my perspective came at a conference, where I met a senior executive from a leading tech company. Given his work in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation, I assumed he held advanced degrees in computer science or a related field. To my surprise, he shared that his background was in philosophy.
He explained that his liberal arts education — especially the focus on critical thinking, ethical reasoning and the ability to see the broader context — had shaped the way he leads. It gave him the tools to guide teams, anticipate social consequences and make decisions that reached well beyond the boundaries of technical expertise.
That conversation stayed with me. Out of curiosity, I began reviewing LinkedIn profiles of other executives at major tech companies. Many also hold degrees in history, literature or the social sciences rather than in technical fields. My informal review was not sufficient to draw sweeping conclusions, but it highlighted an important point: the liberal arts provide skills that remain essential in a technology-driven world.
Community colleges deserve recognition for preparing students to enter a job market shaped by AI and emerging technologies. However, if we stop at technical skills, we risk overlooking something greater — the enduring value of a broad, human-centered education.
Employers today want more than people who can write code or repair machines. They need graduates who can ask tough questions, communicate with confidence, respect diverse perspectives, and think critically about ethical challenges. These are precisely the strengths that the liberal arts nurture.
Far from outdated, the liberal arts are central to preparing students for meaningful work in tomorrow’s economy. As educators, we must shift the conversation: technical know-how may open doors, but the liberal arts help students walk through them as thoughtful leaders and engaged citizens.
Beyond technical skills
AI can crunch numbers, generate reports and even simulate conversations. Yet simulation is not the same as experience. AI can be programmed to follow ethical rules or model empathy, but it does not possess values, intentions or feelings. It may recognize cultural patterns, but it struggles with nuance and context.
What it cannot do is make moral choices, weigh competing values or genuinely empathize. These are distinctively human capacities — and they are precisely the strengths that liberal arts education develops and sustains.
Courses in philosophy, literature, history and the social sciences do more than convey content — they help students make sense of a complex world. They encourage students to step into someone else’s shoes, think critically about difficult choices and appreciate the richness of human experience. These skills matter everywhere, from classrooms and public service to business and technology.
What sets liberal arts students apart is their readiness to ask big questions: What does it mean to be human? What does responsible leadership look like? How can we ensure that technology serves society rather than the other way around? Such questions keep innovation grounded in human values and ensure that progress remains centered on students and communities.
The evidence
Research reinforces this view. Deloitte’s 2025 Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey found that while technical skills are important, younger generations place even greater value on soft skills — such as empathy, leadership and adaptability — in an AI-driven workplace. McKinsey projects that by 2030, demand for social and emotional skills in the United States will rise by 14%, as employers seek graduates who can think critically and bring a human touch to complex challenges. LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report echoes this trend, noting that management, communication, leadership, research and analysis remain among the most sought-after skills across industries. These are precisely the abilities that liberal arts education develops.
The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) offers further evidence. Its 2023 Career-Ready Graduate survey found that eight in 10 employers believe higher education prepares graduates for success and that earning a degree remains worthwhile. Employers consistently emphasized the importance of critical thinking, ethical judgment, teamwork and the ability to apply knowledge in real-world contexts.
Still, the data also reveal gaps. For example, while 64% of employers say oral communication is “essential,” only 34% feel graduates are “very well prepared” in this area. Nearly nine in 10 stressed the importance of exposure to diverse perspectives and ideas — a hallmark of liberal arts education.
Tech’s liberal arts embrace
Leaders in the tech industry are increasingly recognizing that technical expertise alone is insufficient. Apple, for example, recruits graduates from the arts and humanities because designing products people truly want to use requires empathy and cultural awareness. Microsoft has added ethicists and humanists to its AI teams to test for fairness, privacy and cultural sensitivity. Google employs philosophers, linguists and sociologists to confront issues such as algorithmic bias and inclusivity. At OpenAI, professionals trained in the liberal arts help guide responsible AI development by weighing social impacts and advocating for greater transparency.
Taken together, these examples reveal a larger truth: innovation depends on human insight. Companies shaping the future recognize that they need employees who can connect ideas across disciplines, anticipate unintended consequences and ensure that technology aligns with society’s needs.
A call to action
Community colleges occupy a unique position to preserve the liberal arts while also preparing students for technical careers. At places like Anne Arundel Community College (Maryland), Austin Community College (Texas) and Cuyahoga Community College (Ohio), faculty have led efforts to infuse liberal education values in courses that meet general education requirements and promote cross-disciplinary pathways. These initiatives highlight how community colleges can help students develop not only technical skills, but also the habits of critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability that will serve them well in an economy shaped by rapid technological change.
Community colleges may consider some of the key steps in promoting liberal arts across the campus:
- Blend disciplines. Offer cross-disciplinary courses such as Ethics in AI or Storytelling with Data, co-taught by faculty from different fields.
- Visible career paths. Link liberal arts programs to careers in UX design, AI ethics, content strategy and tech policy through advising, internships and guest speakers.
- Support faculty creativity. Provide grants or release time for faculty to develop innovative courses linking the liberal arts with emerging digital technologies.
- Share success stories. Highlight alumni who use liberal arts skills in dynamic careers through newsletters, events and social media.
- Build stackable skills. Encourage students to pursue short-term credentials in areas such as digital ethics or data storytelling while completing their liberal arts degrees.
Students miss out on a crucial aspect of their education when they fail to master the core competencies of the liberal arts. Whatever field of employment they eventually enter, they will need to be equipped with the skill set that machines cannot easily replicate, including emotional intelligence, adaptability, storytelling, moral reasoning and compassion.
These so-called “soft” skills are anything but peripheral; they provide the foundation for leadership, collaboration, resilience and innovation.
