Indicator: Access to ongoing career skills development
Definition
Workers are employed in jobs that provide on-the-job training or a professional learning and development path.
RECOMMENDED METRIC(S)
Percentage of employees who have access to on-the-job training or a professional learning and development plan directly from their employer
Type(s) of Data Needed
SurveysWhy it matters
Opportunities for “reskilling” and “upskilling” can help workers obtain new skills to meet evolving labor market demands. An analysis by the National Skills Coalition suggests that 53 percent of all U.S. jobs require “middle-level” skills, whereas only 43 percent of U.S. workers are trained at the middle skill level. On-the-job training may contribute as much to workers’ earnings as formal schooling, and a decline in employer-provided training may be a contributing factor to rising inequality in the United States. Continuous professional development can help employers develop and retain skilled workers while helping employees develop skills that allow them to succeed at work and earn progressively higher wages.
What to know about measurement
This indicator is likely to require surveying employees or employers. The International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), a cross-national survey collaboration, collects data on whether respondents have had the opportunity to improve their job skills during the past 12 months, as well as on other non-economic job characteristics as part of its Work Orientations module. (However, the ISSP Work Orientations module series is administered at inconsistent intervals—the most recent data available are from 2015.) Alternatively, employers participating in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) are required to report whether program participants achieve “measurable skills gains” within a program year, defined as whether participants are “in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment and who are achieving measurable skill gains, defined as documented academic, technical, occupational, or other forms of progress, towards such a credential or employment.” Although this measure applies only to WIOA provisions, a similar measure could be adapted for other surveys of employers.
Source frameworks
This indicator appeared in three frameworks reviewed for this report. Our proposed measure aligns with recommendations put forth by the National Research Council, which suggests using employer surveys to collect data on types of on-the-job training provided by employers.
References
The framework's recommendations are based on syntheses of existing research. Please see the framework report for a list of works cited.