Mission Statement
Why We Exist
The time-honored pathway from school to career no longer works for most, including students, opportunity youth, job seekers, business and industry. We exist to create solutions that build multiple, validated pathways from education to employment, thereby closing the skills gap.
Description
What We Know
1. A skills score can become universally recognized and help close the skills gap
Skill scores are validated measures of fundamental workplace place skills not reflected in a degree or resume. Employers benefit from comprehensive job-to-skills-matchmaking, while jobseekers benefit from the added credentialing and feedback that can inspire future career paths and skill-building priorities.
2. Cognitive skills are an excellent predictor of job readiness
Our research shows that cognitive skills assessments are 5x more predictive of on-the-job performance than education and experience.
3. Skills-based hiring reveals invisible talent overlooked by traditional methods
Our research shows that as much as 30% of unemployed young adults possess the underlying skills for "college-degree-requiring" jobs, despite not yet having a college degree - or, in some cases, any degree. Specialty content knowledge may be missing in these individuals, but the fundamental skills for job success are strong.
4. Change cannot happen without community
Our model brings together the powerful set of stakeholders (including government, business and industry, education and community-based organizations) required for true market-based economic development.
5. Employers could and should drive system change
Changing the criteria by which employers hire people is critical to solving the skills gap and essential in inspiring jobseekers to learn skills that are necessary to succeed in the workforce.
