Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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The State of American Jobs
Many workers have taken a class or gotten training in past year, often because employer required it
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- The State of American Jobs
- How economic change is reshaping the workplace
- Employment growth is more rapid in occupations requiring higher social or analytical skills
- Over the past 25 years, employment growth has been most rapid in education and health services
- Adults with higher levels of education see a greater need for ongoing training
- Americans believe knowledge of computers, social dexterity, communications skills and access to training are keys to success for today’s workers
- Workers acquire key job skills in a variety of settings
- Wages are higher and increased more in occupations requiring relatively higher levels of social or analytic skills
- People believe outsourcing and imports are the biggest harms to U.S. workers; they are more divided about the impact of immigrants and automation
- Americans think individuals and public schools should have the most responsibility to make sure workers have the right skills
- Americans have mixed views about how well post-high school education prepares students for the workforce
- Economy tops other key issues in importance for presidential vote
- More educated workers see greater need for ongoing training and skills development
- Many workers have taken a class or gotten training in past year, often because employer required it
- Lower-income workers who seek additional training are motivated by wages, new job opportunities
- Limitations on time and resources can hold some workers back from getting additional skills training
- Roughly a third of bachelor’s degree holders – with no postgrad degree – say they need more education and training to get ahead in current job
- For workers who need more training to get ahead in their job, pluralities point to formal education as the answer
- Amid demand for high-skilled jobs, people skills still matter a lot
- Soft skills trump technical skills for most workers, but level of importance varies widely by educational attainment
- In acquiring soft skills, workers rely on a mix of schooling, on-the-job training and natural ability
- Formal education is relied upon more for math, analytical and computer skills
- Most college graduates say someone with less education could learn to do their job
- Roughly four-in-ten workers with a bachelor’s degree say they are overqualified for their job
- Those with postgraduate or professional degree more likely to see college as a place for personal growth
- Democrats at all education levels more likely to see college as a place for personal growth, rather than developing job skills
- Most two-year and four-year college graduates think their experience was broadly useful
- Those with an associate degree are less positive than others about the usefulness of their college experience
- Americans have mixed views about how well post-high school education prepares students for the workforce
- Minorities and those without a high school diploma see especially high value in a college education
- For those with formal education beyond high school, more education can mean more exposure to credentialing requirements
- Detailed O*NET skill elements chosen to represent social, analytical and physical skills