Peace Corps Is the Most Effective Training for the New World of Work

The data is clear: AI is changing the world of work with 75% of knowledge workers already using it on the job. It’s likely we’ll all look back at 2024 as the year that professionals really brought the latest generative AI technologies to work to realize impressive gains in innovation and productivity.

But interestingly, while the latest AI technology continues to shift the way we collectively work, LinkedIn’s Most In-Demand Skills report shows that highly-transferable, “human-centric” soft skills like communication, adaptability and leadership are the most sought-after by employers right now.

So, how can job seekers acquire the right skill set, differentiate themselves from other candidates and accelerate their career trajectory?

The answer is: Join the Peace Corps.

You might be thinking to yourself right now that of course we’d say that. As Director of the Peace Corps and LinkedIn’s Head of Social Impact, and both former Peace Corps Volunteers ourselves, it’s not surprising we’re suggesting volunteerism as a way to gain valuable new experiences that will serve as a vital basis for all types of careers. But the fundamental truth remains: For those who are able to consider this opportunity, the skills, perspectives and unique experiences gained in communities – often very remote ones – around the world as a Peace Corps Volunteer will give you a critical edge in the workforce.

Sharpen Your Soft Skills – and Build the Foundation of Your Career – in the Peace Corps

Serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer (or at any service organization) is a strategic and impactful way to gain and hone vital soft skills while also helping make a difference locally as well as globally. In one study by the National Peace Corps Association, a majority of returned volunteers said that they continued to use the skills and knowledge gained during service in their professional careers. And an overwhelming number said that the soft skills they learned during service were more important than the specific content areas of their work.

What exactly does Peace Corps service entail? Volunteers live, learn and work for just over two years in remote communities around the world who have invited us, providing technical assistance on locally prioritized projects in six program areas: Education, Community Economic Development, Youth in Development, Health, Agriculture, and Environment. Through this experience, volunteers learn how to create and implement solutions to major challenges identified by local communities, like working with farmers to increase food security and teaching English language classes to help entrepreneurs and students prepare for the global marketplace.

Volunteers are immediately immersed in the local community, learning the language and customs while working on community-led projects. And what’s more, because they must figure out so much on their own, Peace Corps Volunteers are sharpening and rapidly developing skills that employers are looking for: Agility, resilience and adaptability.

Peace Corps Volunteer Skills in Action

Here are a few examples of how past volunteers gained these skills and translated them to their post-service careers.

Agility

With the ever-changing world of work, agility – the willingness and ability to learn from experience and then apply those lessons to succeed in new situations – is a skill many employers are looking for. Individuals who practice agility continuously seek new challenges, solicit direct feedback, self-reflect, and get jobs done resourcefully.

After earning a degree in forensic science, Shelyanne Adorno Otero, who hails from Puerto Rico, went on to serve as Peace Corps Volunteer teaching English in Uganda. She also counseled and directed a girl’s group called DREAMS Girls (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) that, among other things, focused attention on creating solutions targeting hygiene and sanitation around the school.

“To be a Peace Corps Volunteer, one must be resourceful and able to think on the spot,” Otero says. “Unpredictable situations occur all the time and they need solving, so having the ability to communicate, ask, research, and the willingness to learn and compromise [is] really useful.”

Through her Peace Corps service, Otero learned that being able to communicate needs and have others step up to support you is critical to completing projects without any specialized or targeted training. And this focus on teamwork enables her to be successful in her role today as a forensic scientist and toxicologist.

Resilience

Resilience, or persevering, especially in the face of strong headwinds, is both hard to teach and impossible to measure. It’s also one of the most critical skills for the ever-evolving world of work.

After graduating from Northern Arizona University, Gabriel Cortez joined the Peace Corps, living and teaching students in grades 4 through 11 for three years at a secondary school in a small town in Ukraine. Cortez loved his experience so much that he extended his time in country. He shares that “developing resiliency skills is crucial to being a successful PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer),” because “the first few months… are extremely exciting and adventurous, but there is a lot to process. A new language, a new place, new customs – it can quickly become overwhelming.”

Now, Cortez relies on that resiliency as a Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Department of State. And he credits the skills gained through his Peace Corps service – the ability to pivot, adapt, persevere, and be flexible – with helping him achieve the lifelong dream of becoming a diplomat.

Adaptability

This crucial skill refers to the ability to adjust effectively to new, changing, or unexpected circumstances. It encompasses a range of attributes and behaviors that enable people to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.

Andrew Meluch, a Peace Corps health volunteer in Peru, says he developed adaptability, resourcefulness, patience, and humility during his service. Valuable lessons about how to connect and communicate with stakeholders have carried through to his post-service engineering career.

“Your role as a Peace Corps Volunteer and the work you seek to accomplish is often just a small part,” he says. “Combined with the fact that things are rarely accomplished at the pace we’re used to in the U.S., it can be challenging to feel a sense of progress or accomplishment. Plus, you’re doing all of this in a new language. So, developing and practicing all these skills is crucial to your success and overall well-being.”

The Time Is Now

LinkedIn research finds that skills required to do our jobs are projected to change by 50% by 2030 (from 2016) – and generative AI is expected to accelerate this change to 68% globally. As the world of work undergoes these major shifts, employers will increasingly focus on workers’ ability to lean into uniquely soft skills, embrace change and act quickly without a predetermined playbook. No matter where your future career path takes you, volunteering in the Peace Corps is undoubtedly a strategic way to secure critical skill sets, position yourself for long-term success and gain an edge – not to mention have a life-changing experience while making a meaningful impact in a corner of the world.

Take the first step to serve boldly and volunteer with the Peace Corps here.

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Meg Garlinghouse is the vice president of social impact for LinkedIn and Carol Spahn is the 21st Director of the Peace Corps