National Survey Shows Gaps in Employable Skills Among American Workers

A new study conducted by The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and The Society for Human Resource Management further validates a local WIB strategic priority in boosting the skills and employability of job seekers and incumbent workers.

Are They Really Ready to Work is an in-depth study of the corporate perspective on the readiness of new entrants into the U.S. workforce by level of educational attainment. The study includes results from both an in-depth survey conducted during April and May 2006 and interviews with a sampling of a dozen HR and other senior executives.

Among the most important skills cited by the more than 400 employers that participated in the research include: Professionalism/Work Ethic, Oral and Written Communications, Teamwork/Collaboration, and Critical Thinking/Problem Solving. A workforce readiness report card is included which provides a summary of the basic knowledge and applied skills that are either "deficient" or "excellent" in those areas that employer respondents rate as "very important".

Research like this is helpful to the Workforce Investment Board by affirming local strategy efforts in improving the soft and basic skills of Southwest Missouri's workforce. Local initiatives, such as the Opportunity Outlook report, and the Work Readiness Credential demonstrate the WIB's direction in answering the market demands of businesses in our region.