ETS Research Institute’s Post

The latest #OECD Survey of Adult Skills reveals that on average across OECD countries, 18% of adults do not even have the most basic levels of proficiency (Level 1) in any of the domains (literacy, numeracy, adaptive problem solving). An ever bigger percentage are only at Level 2, meaning they might not have the critical reading skills needed to spot misinformation – or disinformation – in the news or online. Over the past decade, average literacy proficiency improved only in Denmark and Finland, remaining stable or declining in all other participating countries and economies. Adults have been often ignored in national policies of education. The focus is mostly concentrated on children and teenagers, which I think is a mistake. We are captive in this myth of generational improvement - the improvement of one generation's skills will pull all the other generations left behind (or will compensate enough not to be felt at the social level), like a wave. This is patently false. Those left behind stay behind and will impact generations to come. The Matthew effect functions here - "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer".

OECD (2024), Do Adults Have the Skills They Need to Thrive in a Changing World?: Survey of Adult Skills 2023, OECD Skills Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://lnkd.in/d5P6_Avv [...]Most of the countries and economies that experienced skill declines saw literacy and numeracy proficiency decrease across different age groups. Widespread educational expansion did not compensate for these trends, as proficiency among tertiary-educated graduates decreased or stagnated in most countries. These findings underscore the urgent need for policymakers to focus on lifelong and life-wide learning, ensuring that education and training systems are more adaptive to evolving demands.

Too many adults today face skill gaps that hold them back. The OECD Education and Skills latest report raises questions: How can we make lifelong learning accessible to everyone? How do we break down barriers to skill development and create opportunities for all? These challenges aren’t just abstract—they impact real people, real families and real futures. But they also present opportunities to rethink how we prepare individuals for success in life and work. A big shoutout to the Kadriye Ercikan and the ETS Research Institute team for collaborating with the OECD to share these findings. #PIAAC #Skills #ETSResearch #Workforce #AdultSkills #largescaleassessement https://lnkd.in/e8jXuyd8

💥 Just published: OECD - OCDE's 2023 Survey of Adult Skills 🌍📘 👉 For full details see: https://lnkd.in/dzJ9MHTk 🌟 Key Findings: A Wake-Up Call for Lifelong Learning Systems! ▪️Stagnation or Decline: Literacy skills stagnated or declined in most countries. Only Finland (+15) and Denmark (+9) showed significant improvement. 🌍🔎 ▪️Numeracy's Brighter Side: Eight countries improved in numeracy, with Finland and Singapore leading (+17). But 1 in 5 adults across OECD countries remains a low performer in all skills domains. 📊🔢 ▪️Glaring Gaps: Skills gaps are widening, particularly among foreign-born individuals (-44 literacy points below native-born adults). Equity remains a key challenge. 🤔✍️ 🚀 Skills for the AI Era: Trends and Challenges ▪️Shifting Task Dynamics: Rise of non-routine, social, and analytical tasks due to AI and tech advancements. Machines handle repetition; humans must adapt to collaboration and creativity. 🤖💡 ▪️The Skills That Matter: Literacy, numeracy, and adaptive problem-solving are foundational for thriving in tech-driven economies and sustaining democracy. 📈📚 🎯 Targets & Proposals for Progress ▪️Lifelong Learning Priority: Modular, flexible learning pathways and recognition of skills, especially for low-skilled workers. 🕒🛠️ ▪️Bridging the Gap: Address socio-economic disparities and gender inequalities. Women now lead in literacy; men still dominate in numeracy. 👩🎓👨🏭 ▪️Immigrant Inclusion: Tailored interventions for foreign-born populations to foster inclusivity and equity. 🌍🤝 📌 Why It Matters: Skills = Resilience ▪️Economic Impact: A 1 standard deviation in numeracy boosts wages by 9% and enhances employability. 💶📊 ▪️Social Well-Being: High skills correlate with better health, civic engagement, and life satisfaction. 😊💪 ▪️Mismatch Costs: 10% of workers report insufficient skills, with over-skilling more common than under-skilling. Efficient alignment can unlock productivity. 🛠️⚙️ 🛠️ Call to Action: Rethink Education Systems! ▪️Invest in future-ready VET programs tailored to tech-driven labor markets. 🎓💻 ▪️Upskilling and reskilling as the norm for workforce adaptability. 🔄📘 ▪️Collaborate across stakeholders to create inclusive and equitable education policies. 🌍📜 #FutureOfSkills #LifelongLearning #InclusiveEducation #AIAndEducation #UpskillingRevolution EU Employment & Skills Cedefop Eurofound European Training Foundation EfVET European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) European Vocational Training Association - EVTA EURASHE eucen UNESCO-UNEVOC International Labour Organization OECD Education and Skills World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP) WorldSkills International National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) Agência Nacional Erasmus+ Educação e Formação SEPIE - Servicio Español para la Internacionalización de la Educación

What do the latest PIAAC 2023 results, published yesterday, tell us about skills for the future? The OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) provides invaluable insights into the skills adults need to navigate today’s fast-changing world of work and society. Key findings from the latest results reveal: • Significant gaps in foundational skills like literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving across countries. • Challenges in adapting to digital transformation, with many adults lacking the skills required for digital workplaces. • How skills disparities impact employment outcomes, economic growth, and social inclusion. In 2024, these results underline an urgent need for targeted investments in upskilling and reskilling, as well as policies that promote equitable access to lifelong learning opportunities. Addressing these gaps is key to building inclusive and competitive labour markets. Here is the full report: https://lnkd.in/dexZ3TPZ #PIAAC #SkillsDevelopment #LifelongLearning #FutureOfWork #OECD

The OECD's 2023 Survey of Adult Skills report is out! It reveals alarming global trends. There's a notable decline in literacy and numeracy proficiency across various age groups in many societies. How can we expect people to make smart decisions if they lack foundational skills?? Sigh. https://lnkd.in/gcbTZDu9

The latest OECD Survey of Adult Skills highlights a mixed global picture of literacy, numeracy and adaptive problem solving proficiency. On average across OECD countries, 18% of adults do not even have the most basic levels of proficiency in any of the domains. https://lnkd.in/ggXQDQ2u

The OECD - OCDE has released today the second cycle of the Survey of Adult Skills, offering a comprehensive snapshot of literacy, numeracy, and adaptive problem-solving skills among adults aged 16-65 across 31 countries and economies. https://lnkd.in/eHTC24gC The findings underline the critical role of these skills in driving positive economic and social outcomes. For instance, adults with stronger numeracy skills are more likely to be employed, earn higher wages, and report better health and life satisfaction than their lower-skilled counterparts. The Survey shows that despite widespread efforts to expand education, overall skill levels have not kept pace. Since the first survey in 2011/12, only Finland and Denmark have seen significant improvements in adult literacy, while many other countries have experienced stagnation or decline. Numeracy presents a more encouraging picture. The 2011/12 survey did not assess adaptive problem-solving skills. The Survey highlights that skill gaps are widening particularly among certain groups. The decline in average proficiency is largely driven by a drop in performance among the lowest-skilled adults, the ageing of population, as well as, although to a lesser extent, an increase in the share of foreign-born individuals. Moreover, the literacy gap between adults with low and highly educated parents has widened in half of the countries surveyed, reinforcing the role of socio-economic background in limiting upward mobility. The Survey also looked at the links between skills to personal well-being (e.g., through self-reported health and life satisfaction) and civic engagement (e.g., through questions about political participation, trust, and volunteering). Significantly, low-skilled adults often feel disconnected from political processes and struggle to navigate the complexities of digital information, raising concerns for modern democracies. These findings prompt urgent questions: how can education and training systems adapt and scale to meet evolving skill demands at an unprecedented pace? how can we improve foundational skills and avoid that life-long learning reinforce initial skills differences? how can we sustain and unlock the benefits of life-long learning, ensuring upskilling and reskilling for all?  Andreas SCHLEICHER Glenda Quintini

🔢❤️🩹Did you know that there’s a connection between Math and Health? According to this recent OECD report, individuals with high numeracy skills are 11 percentage points more likely to report very good or excellent health compared to those with low numeracy skills. Reading the report, congratulations (1)🇫🇮Finland (2)🇯🇵Japan (3)🇸🇪Sweden for being top 3 in the world closely followed by 🇳🇴Norway and 🇳🇱The Netherlands in all information processing skills: literacy, numeracy and adapted problem solving. OECD (2024), Do Adults Have the Skills They Need to Thrive in a Changing World?: Survey of Adult Skills 2023, OECD Skills Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://lnkd.in/d9P5PiFx.

Key findings are here ❗ According to #OECD’s latest survey of adult skills (#PIAAC) assessing literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills: ✔️ #AdultSkills mostly declined or stagnated in the past decade ✔️average #Literacy proficiency has remained stable or declined in most countries ✔️nearly one-fifth of adults are considered #LowPerformers ✔️Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden are the #BestPerforming countries in all three domains. ✔️#SkillsInequalities are widening within countries, Singapore and the United States leading this development   💡 Key insights and actions: - there is an urgent need for education and training systems to scale up their efforts and adapt - there is a starkly uneven skills landscape with increasing numbers of people ill-prepared for the future - inequalities within countries are widening, increasingly rewarding those with advanced literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills, while leaving others behind.   What needs to change? ✅ Targeted policies to improve education access and enhance adult learning systems. ✅ Greater emphasis on upskilling and reskilling opportunities for low-skilled workers. ✅ Building more adaptable, accessible learning systems with modular courses, online options, and reduced barriers to participation.   Investing in #LifelongLearning isn’t just about individual growth—it’s about ensuring #EconomicResilience and #SocialCohesion in an ever-changing world. 🌟 #SkillsForTheFuture #AdultLearning #AdultEducation