On Tuesday, February 17, the Education Testing Service (ETS) released a new report titled, America’s Skills Challenge: Millennials and the Future. The report specifically examines the performance of “millennials” (individuals born after 1980) on assessments included in the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), which is conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development to measure “key cognitive and workplace skills needed for individuals to participate in society and economies to prosper.” The report data indicates that millennials in the United States are significantly less equipped with basic adult skills necessary for college and career success than their global peers, ranking last in numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments among the 22 countries included in the study.
In addition, the report notes that increased educational attainment among millennials does not correlate to higher performance on the assessments, however, millennials whose highest level of educational attainment was high school or less fared among the poorest in every participating country. Irwin Kirsch, Director of ETS’s Center for Global Assessment, stated in a press release that, “If we expect to have a better educated population and a more competitive workforce, policymakers and other stakeholders will need to shift the conversation from one of educational attainment to one that acknowledges the growing importance of skills.”
CTE plays a critical component in skills education by providing students with the contextualized learning and practical application opportunities they need to succeed in college and careers. To learn about how you can build awareness and support for CTE, visit the ACTE Advocacy Toolkit here.
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