Only 24% confident they have skills for career growth: ADP
Only 24% confident they have skills for career growth: ADP

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Amid an evolving world of work, only 24% of global workers feel confident they possess the skills needed for career advancement, according to survey results released Jan. 13 by ADP Research.
The survey found only 17% of workers strongly agree their employers are investing in the skills they need to progress.
ADP Research’s analysis noted that providing employees with future-focused skills correlates with productivity, retention and reputation.
“Our research shows that a skilled workforce is more loyal to their employers — and more productive. Yet only a small fraction of workers are upskilled within two years of being hired,” Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, said in a press release. “If companies want to benefit from the enormous technological advancement to come, they must start with investing in the skills and career progression of their workers.”
Top reasons workers would stay with their employer include flexibility in scheduling and the opportunity for career advancement.
The study also found that workers whose employers provide necessary training are nearly six times more likely to recommend their company as a great place to work. These workers are also 3.3 times more likely to identify as “highly productive” and twice as likely to express no intent to leave their organization compared to those who have the skills but lack on-the-job training opportunities.
The geographies with the highest percentage of workers most confident in their career advancement skills over the next three years include:
- Middle East and Africa, 38%
- Latin America, 32%
- North America, 22%
- Asia-Pacific, 21%
- Europe, 17%
Employers’ investment in skills was highest in the Middle East and Africa at 28%, followed by North America at 18%; Latin America and Asia-Pacific at 17%; and Europe at 12%.
The survey includes responses from 38,000 working adults across 34 markets in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America and the Middle East and Africa.