There are approximately 20 million Americans employed in key service-sector industries who lack foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, or digital problem-solving. These skill gaps serve as an invisible drag on productivity, often limiting workers’ ability to climb the career ladder and increasing employer costs.
Businesses play an important role in helping these workers build skills and attain economic mobility – and smart public policy can amplify employer investments while also strengthening talent pipelines across the sector.
Foundational Skills in the Service Sector provides a detailed data profile of workers, examples of employer interventions that support skill-building, and recommendations for state and federal policymakers.
