Skill Tree
Critical life skills every PK–16 learner needs—now in easy, effective lessons to build relevance and purpose into education.
What is the Skill Tree?
It’s a powerful lesson framework, easily taught to students of all ages, to build their personal competitive advantage—in school and in life.
To thrive at school, all students need vital human skills like adaptability, communication, coping, self-management, and more. Now, these skills can be taught by anyone, to anyone with the Skill Tree! The Skill Tree is a flexible lesson series that empowers PK–16 students with the tools and motivation to build their own personal competitive advantage.
Every student has a dream of what they want their life to be someday. They need to know that achieving that lifestyle is directly related to their skills like teamwork, critical thinking, empathy, and more. When we connect those dots, we can equip them to become the best version of themselves—in school, the future workforce, and life.
The best part? With the Skill Tree, they can start building those skills right now!
The Skill Tree’s flexible, scalable lesson framework is designed for students at all stages of their PK–16 journey, with three age-appropriate learning tracks:
PK-6
21-Lesson Track for Preschool/Kindergarten through Elementary
Use our PK–6 lesson track with students in preschool/kindergarten through sixth grade to build their academic, social, and life skills in preparation for a positive middle and high school experience. Each PK–6 lesson includes an introduction for the teacher/counselor, social story, journal and drawing prompts, discussion questions, student worksheet, and other activities to reinforce the skill being taught.
7-12
21-Lesson Track for Middle and High School
Starting in seventh grade, students can dive deeper into honing their professional skills through our 7–12 lesson track. These flexible lessons can be as robust or relaxed as your classroom needs, meeting middle and high schoolers where they’re at in their education, social, and career exploration journey. Whether students envision a grand, modest, or laid-back lifestyle for themselves, the skills they develop now will help them reach it.
13-16
21-Lesson Track for College/Workforce Development
In the workforce, professional skills are in increasingly high demand. Young adults and older learners pursuing a degree, certification, trade, or new life direction can enhance their personal competitive advantage with the valuable strategies taught in these lessons. Designed with meaningful group and individual activities, our 13–16 lesson track gives learners the tools to build confidence and develop positive, productive habits for a lifetime.
21 Vital Skills for School, Work & Beyond.
The Skill Tree lesson framework features 21 interrelated professional and life skills that are relevant to every age and stage, including:
1: Small Steps/Consistency
Building Momentum, Growing Consistency, and Owning Your Future
2: Human Connection
Building Relationships, Creating Trust, and Growing Through Others
3: Self-Management
Taking Ownership, Building Focus, and Following Through
4: Emotional Intelligence
Understanding Emotions, Navigating Relationships, and Leading with Insight
5: Coping
Managing Stress, Building Inner Strength, and Responding with Resilience
6: Communication
Expressing Ideas, Listening Well, and Building Mutual Understanding
7: Active Listening
Paying Attention, Building Trust, and Strengthening Understanding
8: Empathy
Understanding Others, Building Compassion, and Growing Connection
9: Leadership
Inspiring Others, Owning Responsibility, and Making a Positive Impact
10: Teamwork
Collaborating Effectively, Sharing Responsibility, and Growing Together
11: Adaptability
Embracing Change, Staying Flexible, and Thriving Through Uncertainty
12: Problem-Solving
Thinking Critically, Taking Initiative, and Creating Real-World Solutions
13: Critical Thinking
Analyzing Information, Making Better Decisions, and Thinking for Yourself
14: Time Management
Planning Ahead, Prioritizing What Matters, and Owning Your Schedule
15: Work-Life Balance
Managing Responsibilities, Protecting Wellbeing, and Living with Intention
16: Networking
Building Relationships, Creating Opportunities, and Growing Together
17: Creativity
Thinking Differently, Expressing Yourself, and Solving Problems with Imagination
18: Punctuality
Being Reliable, Building Trust, and Owning Your Time
19: Negotiation
Speaking Up, Finding Solutions, and Creating Win-Win Outcomes
20: Conflict Resolution
Managing Disagreements, Repairing Relationships, and Building Peace
21: Bully-Proof
Standing Strong, Staying Safe, and Supporting Others with Courage
DOWNLOAD SAMPLE LESSONS
You’re invited to experience the impact of the Skill Tree for yourself! Sign up to download a sample lesson for each learning track: PK–6, 7–12, and 13–16 college/workforce development.
Request your download now!
With the Skill Tree, the Career Tree product family is now a complete PK–16 solution for professional skill development and career exploration!
Meet the creator of the Skill Tree: Mark C. Perna
- Generational expert with 25+ years of insight and impact
- 80+ dynamic, inspiring, and actionable keynotes annually across North America
- 8 awards for Mark’s national bestseller Answering Why
- 250+ radio, television, and podcast interviews on generational and workforce development issues
- 300+ articles and 5 million readers at Forbes.com, where Mark has contributed weekly since 2019
Watch a quick overview of the Skill Tree™ and why it works for every level of education and experience!
The PK-16 Career Tree® System
Built around Mark C. Perna’s Competitive Advantage philosophy, the Career Tree® System grows with your students to promote their success at every stage. Empower your learners to build their own personal competitive advantage for school, career, and beyond!
SKILL TREE
PK-16
Empower students of all ages to build the foundational life skills to thrive in their education, career, and life journey.
PATHWAY TREE
7-16
Spark the ongoing dialogue, research, and self-discovery that enhance academic performance and career clarity.
ACADEMIC TREE
7-16
Bring the power of purpose to academic classrooms, where students can see the relevance of today’s learning to the future lifestyle they want to live.
Education with Purpose
Motivating Positive Behaviors
As educators, we want to encourage positive behaviors—but we still need to address the negative ones. The Skill Tree is the perfect tool to make these conversations more productive. Referencing the student’s Skill Tree chart, we can point out how the negative behavior doesn’t advance them toward the personal competitive advantage they need and suggest positive actions they can take instead.
When a student displays a particular skill on the Skill Tree, we can reward that effort with a sticker on their personal Skill chart. The sticker should be used as an age-appropriate mastery or understanding of the skill based on their maturity level. For students, earning this recognition is a moment of pride and accomplishment!
Additional Materials to Support Skill Development
SKILL TREE WALL GRAPHICS
Each classroom can be outfitted with a large Wall Graphic as a visual reminder of the 21 Skills your learners are working toward. Wall Graphics that include brief descriptions of each Skill are also available.
SKILL LESSONS
Use our robust Skill Tree framework (authored by Mark C. Perna) to easily teach the skills on the Skill Tree. Available in age-appropriate lesson tracks for PK–6, 7–12, and 13–16 College/Workforce Development.
SKILL STICKERS
When a student demonstrates a particular skill, they can be rewarded with the corresponding Skill Sticker to adhere to their personal Skill chart.
CHILDREN'S BOOK SERIES
Coming in 2026, “The Magic I Build” book series will reinforce the 21 vital skills that PK–6 students are learning at school. Sign up now to stay posted on news, launch dates and more!
SKILL TREE BANNERS
When wall space isn’t available, use our stand-up and tabletop banners to keep the Skill Tree front and center in your learning environment. Also great for on the go!
STUDENT SKILL CHARTS
Students will each receive a personal 8.5”x11” Skill chart to track their progress. The charts may be displayed on the wall or kept in the teacher’s Skill Tree binder.
ACTION JOURNAL
The Action Journal is a powerful, personal tool for students to take deeper ownership of the skills they’re learning. Available in PK–2, 3–6, 7–12, and 13–16 versions.
THE SKILL TREE IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL ORGANIZATIONS WITH AN ACTIVE CAREER TREE LICENSE.
All Skill Tree materials are available on the TFSCareerTree.com portal.
To join the Career Tree community, contact us today to get started!
Get In Touch
Contact us today to help your students build the skills for success—at every step of their educational journey!