What are the problems we are trying to solve to prepare today’s workforce for future readiness?

The foundation of future readiness starts with addressing the literacy crisis in the United States. A shocking 54% of adults—approximately 130 million people aged 16-74—struggle with foundational literacy skills. These skills are the gateway to digital, financial, health, and civic literacies that drive social and economic mobility.

Without foundational literacy, the path to a future-ready workforce is blocked. How can we expect individuals to adapt to rapid technological changes, navigate complex healthcare systems, or participate fully in civic life without these fundamental skills? Yet, only 10% of adults who need literacy support are receiving it.

This gap has far-reaching consequences. For instance, 21% of U.S. adults perform at or below Level 1 in the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). This means that millions of people struggle with basic tasks like understanding short texts, working with numbers, or solving everyday problems. It’s a silent crisis with enormous economic costs—closing this gap could boost the annual GDP by $2.2 trillion.

It is no surprise that the latest OECD Survey of Adult Skills 2023 released this month emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and upskilling to address ever-widening skills gaps—these skills are key to employability and livelihood. One standard deviation increase in numeracy proficiency is linked to a 9% wage increase. Because economic and social outcomes are tied to literacy proficiency, it is confounding that foundational skills gaps for the majority workforce remain largely unacknowledged by policy makers, hiring managers, and the public at large. Even more challenging for the 20% of adults across OECD countries who are low performers in all three domains (literacy, numeracy, and adaptive problem solving). The survey assessed approximately 160,000 adults aged 16-65 across 31 countries and economies, representing 673 million people.

How do we raise awareness of this foundational issue so that innovators, designers, and decision-makers prioritize literacy in their programs and solutions?

What can we do about it?

The answer lies in designing solutions that meet learners where they are. At Cell-Ed, we partner with employers, nonprofits, health organizations, and education programs to embed multiple literacies into flexible, learner-centered formats. Here’s how:

• Multi-literacy Programs: Foundational literacy isn’t the endpoint—it’s the start. Once achieved, it paves the way for digital, financial, and health literacies, empowering individuals to fully participate in society.

• Public-Private Partnerships: Tackling the literacy gap at scale requires collaboration. For example, our Caring4Cal project partnered with the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) to train over 44,000 direct care workers in under six months. By offering 20 free training programs, cash incentives up to $2,500, and career coaching, this initiative helped prepare a new generation of healthcare workers, many from remote and rural areas.

• Localized and Accessible Content: Programs like Welcome Start provide culturally tailored resources for migrants and immigrants. Skills4Life training, offered in multiple languages such as Dari, Pashto, Ukrainian, and Russian ensures new arrivals can integrate effectively while receiving support from coaches with lived experiences.

• Rapid Access to Critical Information: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a glaring need for accessible, up-to-date information. Ensuring everyone has the tools and resources to navigate crises is critical to being future ready.