At the Fairfield Start-Up Showcase on April 25, Team Higher Skills will pitch a cutting-edge training platform dedicated to equipping individuals with the tools they need to excel in today's competitive job market.

Through utilizing a self-assessment feature enhanced with speech analysis, body language detection, and gamification elements, Higher Skills aims to assess, teach, and refine soft skills through AI-guided simulations and interview preparation. 

Team member Charles (Chad) Langdon '25 shared that Higher Skills was born from the realization that many individuals struggle to showcase their full potential due to gaps in soft skills training. 

“We’ve watched countless peers and friends struggle to get internships and jobs. Our goal is to help students recognize that we already have these important soft skills within us,” said Langdon. “It’s just a matter of learning how to recognize and effectively use the [skills].” 

The team is comprised of members from Fairfield University, as well as other universities. "By having team members with experience in sales, marketing, and software engineering from various universities, there is diverse input to generate more productivity and a wider market reach,” said Langdon. 

As a SaaS platform, Higher Skills will offer training simulations with a wide array of use cases, providing a dynamic and immersive learning experience for users seeking to refine their soft skills. 

Attend the Fairfield StartUp Showcase on April 25 to hear Langdon and his team members — Daniel Reisman '23, MS'24, Matthew Briceño, Katie Tennant, Simba Chen, Zachary Robichaux, Aidan DeGooyer, and PJ Strahm — describe the advancements Higher Skills is making in career preparation through tailored modules. 

To learn more about the Fairfield StartUp Showcase, visit Fairfield.edu/startup.