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.
2. Fundamental Programming Concepts
| Label | KSAC Description | Bloom's Taxonomy Level | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | Describe uses of primitive data types. | knowledge | 1 |
| b | Write and reason about code using appropriate data types for performance, readability, and maintainability. | skill | 3 |
| c | Demonstrate fundamental programming skills including the use of variables, loops, conditional branching, and program logic, with an emphasis on error-handling and input validation. | skill | 3 |
| d | Design, implement, test, and debug a program that uses each of the following fundamental programming constructs: basic computation, simple I/O, standard conditional and iterative structures. | skill | 3 |
| f | Design and implement a program that defines functions and passes parameters. | skill | 3 |
| g | Write a program that uses file I/O to provide persistence across multiple executions. | skill | 2 |
| h | Choose appropriate conditional and iteration constructs for a given programming task. | skill | 4 |
| j | Describe the concept of recursion and give examples of its use. | knowledge | 1 |
| k | Valdiate and test AI-generated code for correctness, security, and reliability. | ability | 1 |
| l | Debug unfamiliar codebases using modern tools. | ability | 1 |
| m | Use version control branching strategies (feature branches, pull requests). | ability | 1 |
| n | Explain asynchronous programming models (async/await, event loops). | knowledge | 1 |
| o | Understand memory models relevant to modern programming languages (managed vs unmanaged). | knowledge | 1 |
Credentials
- N/A