WHO ARE ADULTS WITH LOW SKILLS?

About one in six ages 16-65

One-third are aged less than 35

Two-thirds of young (16-24) adults are men

One-third are immigrants

Nearly three-fourths are black or Hispanic

Nearly two-thirds work, but earn comparatively low wages

WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM HIGHER SKILLS?

Individuals and Families

The economic payoff to individuals for higher skills is greater in the United States than in almost any other industrialized country.
Increasing parents’ skills can improve education outcomes for their children.
Higher-skilled adults are healthier, with implications for their ability to work, parent, and participate in their communities.

Business and Industry

Increasing adult skills increases productivity.
Because higher-skilled workers are also likely to be healthier, helping adults improve their skills indirectly raises productivity.
Increasing skills expands access to employment and better-paying jobs, creating new customers for products and services.

Communities

Low-skilled Americans are motivated to get ahead.
Raising adult skills could lift community educational attainment for the next generation as well.
States with better-educated workforces have higher economic growth and higher wages.
Raising adult skills could potentially save communities substantial amounts in healthcare costs.
Integrating immigrants may benefit communities economically.
Raising adult skills could result in more civic engagement in communities.

Source

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education. (2015, February). Making Skills Everyone’s Business: A Call to Transform Adult Learning in the United States. Washington, D.C.: Author.

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Phone: 770-284-0730

Email: Info@CannonEduServices.org

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