Explore KSACs by Pathway
In late 2025, the Partnership pulled together members of industry from across tech to share how the in-demand skillsets for entry-level roles in their fields have changed in the last two years. The Knowledge, Skills & Abilities and Credentials (KSACs) below reflect their feedback on entry-level expectations, especially in a tech workplace increasingly shaped by AI.
8. Software Tools and Environment
| Label | KSAC Description | Bloom's Taxonomy Level | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | Describe the issues that are important in selecting a set of tools for the development of a particular software system, including tools for requirements tracking, design modeling, implementation, build automation, and version control. | knowledge | 2 |
| b | Construct, execute and debug programs using a modern IDE and associated tools such as unit testing tools and visual debuggers. | ability | 4 |
| c | Describe how version control can be used to help manage software release management. | knowledge | 3 |
| d | Ability to use Github or similar version control systems. | ability | 2 |
| e | Ability to use Jira or other similar issue tracking tools. | ability | 2 |
| f | Ability to use npm, maven or similar package management tools (e.g. npm, maven, or similar). | ability | 2 |
| g | Ability to use a source code control tool to manage configuration items in a small team-based project. | ability | 3 |
| h | Explain the use of software integration tools. | knowledge | 2 |
| i | Describe the benefits of integrating static and dynamic test tools into the software development environment. | knowledge | 2 |
| j | Demonstrate the capability to use software tools in support of the development of a software product of small size. | ability | 3 |
| k | Explain the benefits of and appropriate uses cases for the usage of containers. | knowledge | 2 |
| m | Use AI-assisted development tools while validating results. | ability | 1 |
| n | Apply CI/CD pipelines in practice, not just identify CI tools. | ability | 2 |
| o | Use containerization for development, testing, and deployment workflows. | skill | 2 |
| p | Understand modern package management ecosystems (pip, pnpm, Go modules). | knowledge | 1 |
Credentials
- N/A