We must be more creative and resourceful in how we align learning with employer needs
A new report from Pearson has unveiled a staggering reality: inefficient career transitions and learning gaps in the U.S. are costing our economy $1.1 trillion annually. This isn’t just an abstract figure, it’s a wake-up call for everyone in our nation. It signals the urgent need to be more creative and resourceful in our approach to bridge the disconnect between what students are learning in the classroom and how that learning can meet employer needs.
We know that there is successful teaching and learning happening in schools and post-secondary institutions across the country. Many of them are identified through our annual Honor Roll list of schools. However, because academic institutions use performance metrics such as grades, credits, and completion to signal achievement, students do not know how their learning translates into job skills. Worse yet, many students leave school not knowing what valuable job skills they learned while in school.
Meanwhile, employers struggle to identify talent because traditional transcripts and degrees don’t capture the skills of job seekers. The result? A labor market that is both talent-hungry and underutilized, with millions of qualified individuals overlooked simply because their skills are not clearly articulated due to the lack of a common language between educational institutions and employers.
At Educational Results Partnership (ERP), we are tackling this challenge head-on through Skills Currency. Our approach empowers students by translating their academic achievements into workforce-relevant skills that employers understand and value. Most importantly, we do this without asking teachers or academic institutions to change what or how they teach. Instead of requiring new curricula or additional burdens on educators, we bridge the gap by making existing learning visible and relevant to employers—ensuring that students can better articulate their skills and employers can recognize untapped talent in their communities.
But this is more than just an efficiency upgrade, it is now an American imperative with serious national security implications. As the U.S. competes in the global Artificial Intelligence race, our ability to develop, identify and deploy homegrown talent much more efficiently, will determine our economic resilience and global standing. The big picture problem we face if we fail to increase efficiency in matching talent to jobs, is that we risk undermining overall U.S. prosperity and security—now and in the future.
The good news is that the $1.1 trillion inefficiency gap is not an inevitability, it’s a solvable problem. By rethinking how we identify and communicate a student’s skills, we can unlock opportunity for millions of students, strengthen our economy, and position the U.S. for long-term competitiveness.
The time to act is now. Are you an employer, K-12, or post-secondary leader ready to be part of the solution? Contact us today or visit our website to learn more about how Skills Currency is maximizing the value of rigorous academic instruction, without disrupting it, and redefining education-to-workforce alignment.
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