Economy
A 'Disheartening Portrait' of the U.S. Labor Force
American workers have a major skills deficit that varies by race, ethnicity, and nativity.
English literacy and numeracy skills affect how we process information and use technology—they are keys to better jobs and higher salaries. According to a new report by the Migration Policy Institute, the U.S. workforce scores pretty low on these measures compared to other developed countries, and shows significant disparities among racial groups.
The MPI report examined data from an international survey, conducted by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, that assessed literacy and numeracy skills of adults in 24 member countries. America's average score placed it 16th among this group, far below countries like Japan and Finland. The report also notes that this score barely rose from 2003 to 2012.