US skills gap rapidly widening, survey reveals

Phys.org  January 24, 2023
According to Wiley’s latest annual Closing the Skills Gap https://universityservices.wiley.com/closing-the-skills-gap-2023/?utm_source=press_release&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=skills_gap_2023 report companies are having an increasingly difficult time attracting and retaining workers who have the skills needed to fill their open jobs. Among 600 U.S. human resources professionals surveyed by Wiley, 69% said their organization has a skills gap, up from 55% in a similar survey in 2021. While some organizations address their skills gap by hiring new employees or using contractors, the majority say they try to upskill or reskill current employees to fill the gap. Those that lack the development initiatives and in-house resources to effectively retrain workers can instead reimburse employees’ tuition costs for training or partner with colleges or technical schools. The proportion of respondents who said more than 5% of their workforce used tuition assistance rose from 61% in 2021 to 69% in 2022. The report also suggests alternate credentials are gaining on the college degree as a way to validate a job candidate’s skills. While 81% of respondents believe earning a bachelor’s degree positions an individual for success, 62% place less value on whether applicants graduated from college, with most saying they would interview non-graduates who have five years of relevant work experience, certificates from colleges or universities, and digital badges or micro-credentials…read more.