Workforce Development: Skills,
Credentials and Economic
Outcomes
Lansing Davis, Ed.D.
Senior Policy Analyst
New JerseyState Employment and Training Commission
June 2011
The future U.S. workforce is here—
and it is woefully ill-prepared for the
demands of today’s (and
tomorrow’s) workplace.
Are They Really Ready to Work? Employers’ Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skill of
New Entrants to the 21st Century US Workforce, The Conference Board, 2006
Percentage of Adults in the US by
NAAL Literacy Levels
Below
Basic
Basic
Intermediate Proficient
Prose
14
29
44
13
Document
12
22
53
13
Quantitative 22
33
33
13
Source: National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 2003
US Census Bureau, 2008 American Community Survey, 1 year estimates.
THE WORK READINESS PROFILE
What New Workers in Entry Level Jobs Need to Be Able to Do
New workers
need to be able to
use these EFF Skills…
well enough to successfully carry out these critical entry level tasks:
Communication Skills
Speak So Others Can Understand
Listen Actively
Read With Understanding
Observe Critically
Acquire, use and share information accurately and in a timely manner.
Interpersonal Skills
Cooperate With Others
Resolve Conflict and Negotiate
Monitor and Correct Performance.
Decision Making Skills
Use Math to Solve Problems and
Communicate
Solve Problems and Make Decisions
Lifelong Learning Skills
Take Responsibility for Learning
Use Information and Communications
Technology
Use appropriate technology to get the job done.
Understand Systems.
Work as part of a team to achieve goals and objectives.
Work through conflict constructively.
Provide direct, accurate and timely responses to customer questions and concerns.
Take responsibility for completing one's own work accurately, on time, to a high standard of quality.
Demonstrate integrity.
Avoid absenteeism.
Demonstrate promptness.
Maintain appropriate grooming and hygiene.
Manage time effectively.
Cope with a work situation or tasks that change frequently.
Identify actual or potential problems related to one's own work: report them, and help to fix them.
Learn new/additional skills related to your job.
“Not long ago, postsecondary education was a privilege
enjoyed by only a few. The economy did not require
much more of our grandparents than a high school
diploma. Many workers were able to get along well
enough without even that. But today, the stakes are
much higher. A high school diploma or GED may not be
enough for many entry-level jobs and certainly does not
provide an avenue to the high-skills/high-wage jobs of
choice. Further, the evidence suggests that while our
ability to compete internationally depends on the skills of
our workforce and its ability to learn and adapt to new
situations, the U.S. can no longer claim to be the world
leader in education that it once was.”
Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), Adult Learning in Focus National and State-by-State
Data, 2008, http://www.cael.org/adultlearninginfocus.htm.
United States Ranking
Among 20 High-Income Countries
International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS)
Literacy Type
Prose Literacy
Document Literacy
US Rank
9th
13th
Quantitative Literacy
13th
Source: Kirsch, I, Braun, H, Yamamoto, K, America’s Perfect Storm: Three Forces
Changing Our Nation’s Future, Educational Testing Service (ETS), 2007.
Occupational
Educational
2 yr. & 4 Yr. Degrees
Occupational/Industry Certifications
Postsecondary Certificates
Vocational Certifications
Work-Readiness
Certification
GED or HS Diploma
Work-Readiness
Certification
Personal Earnings by Educational Attainment for Persons 25 Years Old and Over:
New Jersey, 2008-2009 (Median Income in 2008 Dollars)
Personal Income
Persons 25 Years Old and Over by Educational Attainment
(Two-year
moving average)
Total
Total
Less than
High School
Some college/
Bachelor's
Postgraduate or
High School
Diploma
Associate Degree
Degree
Professional
Degree
5,693,200
654,600
1,843,700
1,058,300
1,363,000
773,600
None or negative
30.7%
52.3%
37.5%
27.0%
21.1%
18.3%
Less than $10,000
5.0%
5.3%
5.3%
6.9%
4.0%
3.5%
$10,000-$24,999
13.0%
24.2%
15.6%
14.0%
7.6%
5.0%
$25,000-$49,999
21.7%
14.7%
25.1%
26.4%
22.4%
11.5%
$50,000-$74,999
13.3%
2.2%
10.7%
13.4%
17.8%
20.6%
$75,000-$99,999
6.4%
0.5%
3.0%
6.2%
9.4%
14.3%
$100,000 or more
10.1%
0.9%
2.9%
6.2%
17.8%
26.8%
Median Income
$41,732
$21,402
$31,799
$38,658
$55,876
$73,872
New Jersey Estimated and Projected Employment by Occupations with Greatest Employment Growth: 2008-2018
Employment
Occupational Title
Actual
Projected
2008
2018
Average Annual
Job Openings
Percent
Total
Education/Training
Average
Requirement
Wage **
Home Health Aides
28,700
40,600
41.6
1,480
Short-term on-the-job training
$
11.00
Registered Nurses
79,500
89,650
12.8
2,400
Associate degree
$
36.05
Combined Food Preparation and Serving
Workers, Incl. Fast Food
Short-term on-the-job training
$
9.40
60,850
68,200
12.1
2,030
$
12.90
1,230
Postsecondary vocational
training
$
17.00
Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants
51,350
58,500
14.0
Customer Service Representatives
59,400
65,100
9.6
2,440
Moderate-term on-the-job
training
Accountants and Auditors
42,800
47,200
10.3
1,160
Bachelor's degree
$
38.15
Child Care Workers
40,900
45,250
10.7
1,630
Short-term on-the-job training
$
10.90
Postsecondary vocational
training
$
14.60
Bachelor's degree
$
45.20
Short-term on-the-job training
$
11.00
Short-term on-the-job training
$
13.15
Bachelor's degree
$
43.35
Postsecondary vocational
training
$
20.50
Short-term on-the-job training
$
13.05
Moderate-term on-the-job
training
$
15.75
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and
Cosmetologists
28,400
32,500
14.5
830
Computer Software Engineers,
Applications
29,550
33,350
12.8
630
Waiters and Waitresses
57,600
61,250
6.4
3,550
Landscaping and Groundskeeping
Workers
37,250
40,800
9.6
800
Network Systems and Data
Communications Analysts
10,750
13,750
27.6
490
Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
13,300
16,200
22.0
530
Receptionists and Information Clerks
48,050
50,950
6.1
1,590
Medical Assistants
12,500
15,200
21.5
410
New Jersey Estimated and Projected Employment by (Education) Occupations with Greatest Employment
Growth: 2008-2018
Employment
Occupational Title
Elementary School Teachers,
Except Special Education
Teacher Assistants
Self-Enrichment Education
Teachers
Middle School Teachers, Exc.
Special and Vocational Education
Preschool Teachers, Except
Special Education
Actual
Projected
2008
2018
50,800
46,150
11,300
26,350
14,000
56,500
49,850
14,650
29,200
16,800
Average Annual
Job Openings
Percent
11.2
8.1
29.7
10.8
19.9
Total
Education/Training
Average
Requirement
Wage **
Bachelor's degree
$ 60,860
Short-term on-the-job
training
$ 25,240
Work experience in a
related occupation
$ 49,610
Bachelor's degree
$ 62,060
Postsecondary
vocational training
$ 33,770
1,730
1,350
510
890
560
Real Time Jobs In Demand
Occupation Title
2008
Emp
NJ #
Cont'g
Unemp
Claims
New Occ
Listings
NJ Avg Annual
Projected
Openings (2008
-2010)
NJ Avg
Hourly
Wage
Preferred Edu/
Trng
Computer Programmers
2,066
3,539
27
380
$37.75
BA
Computer Software Engineers,
Applications
4,078
2,148
32
570
$43.80
BA
Management Analysts
1,865
468
51
330
$42.85
Exp + BA or higher
Financial Analysts
2,271
351
59
60
$42.20
BA
913
231
10
180
$47.50
BA
3,135
213
204
740
$36.70
BA
Social and Community Service Managers
278
139
41
140
$35.50
BA
Compensation, Benefits, Job Analysis
Specialists
349
108
6
70
$32.35
BA
Training and Development Specialists
372
93
11
120
$31.35
Exp + BA or higher
Employment, Recruitment & Placement
Specialists
652
70
30
140
$30.60
BA
4,018
46
37
520
$31.95
BA
Loan Officers
501
46
34
50
$33.80
BA
Credit Analysts
255
39
13
60
$33.90
BA
Personal Financial Advisors
997
33
19
40
$43.40
BA
56
27
20
40
$25.00
BA
Human Resources, Training, and Labor
Relations Spe
367
20
109
160
$32.00
BA
Tax Examiners, Collectors, and Revenue
Agents
215
19
8
40
$33.25
BA
Cost Estimators
248
15
8
100
$32.10
BA
1,506
8
6
20
$41.75
BA
Computer Software Engineers, Systems
Software
Accountants and Auditors
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Meeting and Convention Planners
Financial Examiners
Connecting Work and Education
NJ Pathways Leading Apprentices to a
College Education
Other Workforce Development
Stakeholders
Educators &
Training Providers
State and Local Workforce
System
Employers and
Industry Groups
Nursing Career Pathway
Value-added Education
Knowledge
Skills
Learning
Credential/
Degree