By 2025, talent teams are being judged on whether learning actually works, not just whether training happens, and the gap between skills needs and skills supply is still wide. In the US, 43% of employers report they cannot fill roles because there are not enough skilled applicants, even as organizations pour money into learning technology and training pathways. Those tensions are exactly what the latest adult upskilling and reskilling statistics help untangle, from credentialing and digital skills to the costs and time barriers that decide who gets left behind.
Key Takeaways
- 48% of workers surveyed across OECD countries reported receiving training in the 12 months prior to the survey (2020 data release).
- 23% of adults in France reported having participated in continuing education/training during the last year (2019).
- 8.6% of the working-age population (18–64) in the EU participated in education and training in the last four weeks (2020).
- 68% of learning leaders report that they want a centralized learning record to track employee skills (Josh Bersin/Global Learning Technology Study, 2022).
- 41% of companies use credentialing (certificates/micro-credentials) for internal reskilling pathways (World Economic Forum Future of Jobs 2023).
- 52% of organizations offer on-the-job learning as a primary reskilling mechanism (ATD State of Industry 2023).
- 1 in 3 employers (33%) reported a persistent talent shortage despite improved hiring conditions (ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey 2023).
- 43% of employers in the US report that they are unable to fill positions due to a lack of skilled applicants (US Chamber of Commerce workforce report, 2023).
- $31.1 billion global corporate e-learning market size in 2023 (MarketsandMarkets).
- $2.0 billion global virtual classroom market size in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights).
- $17.6 billion global talent management software market forecast by 2025 (Gartner).
- US firms that invest in training have 24% higher productivity than firms with low training investment (OECD analysis of firm-level training and productivity, 2019).
- 26% of adults in the EU reported cost as a barrier to training/education (Eurofound, 2021).
- In the US, workers who participate in job training were 20% more likely to earn higher wages within 12 months (OECD evaluation of ALMP/Job training impacts, 2020).
- 66% of workers who underwent digital skills training reported improved job performance (World Bank digital skills training beneficiary survey, 2021).
Training participation is rising, but skills gaps persist, making credential tracking and measurable reskilling essential.
Related reading
- Statistics · Upskilling And Reskilling In IndustryUpskilling And Reskilling In The Adult Film Industry Statistics
- Statistics · Upskilling And Reskilling In IndustryUpskilling And Reskilling In The Material Handling Industry Statistics
- Statistics · Upskilling And Reskilling In IndustryUpskilling And Reskilling In The Supply Chain Industry Statistics
- Statistics · Upskilling And Reskilling In IndustryUpskilling And Reskilling In The Video Game Industry Statistics
01 · Category
Participation Rates4 stats
01
48% of workers surveyed across OECD countries reported receiving training in the 12 months prior to the survey (2020 data release).[1]
02
23% of adults in France reported having participated in continuing education/training during the last year (2019).[2]
03
8.6% of the working-age population (18–64) in the EU participated in education and training in the last four weeks (2020).[3]
04
19.0% of US adults (25–64) reported having completed a certificate, diploma, or degree in the past year (2022), indicating ongoing credentials that support reskilling pathways[4]
Interpretation
Participation Rates Interpretation
Participation rates in upskilling and reskilling vary widely by country and measure, with 48% of OECD workers reporting training in the prior 12 months but only 8.6% of EU working age adults participating in education and training in the last four weeks, and France at 23% for the last year.
02 · Category
Implementation Metrics5 stats
01
68% of learning leaders report that they want a centralized learning record to track employee skills (Josh Bersin/Global Learning Technology Study, 2022).[5]
02
41% of companies use credentialing (certificates/micro-credentials) for internal reskilling pathways (World Economic Forum Future of Jobs 2023).[6]
03
52% of organizations offer on-the-job learning as a primary reskilling mechanism (ATD State of Industry 2023).[7]
04
38% of employers provide paid time for training (US Census/US BLS training benefit estimates, 2020).[8]
05
22% of organizations reported using competency-based assessments for hiring and internal mobility (OECD skills use in labor markets, 2020).[1]
Interpretation
Implementation Metrics Interpretation
Implementation metrics show that while 68% of learning leaders want a centralized learning record to track skills, only 38% of employers provide paid time for training, suggesting that organizations are prioritizing better skill tracking but still lag in the concrete support needed to deliver reskilling at scale.
03 · Category
Workforce Needs2 stats
01
1 in 3 employers (33%) reported a persistent talent shortage despite improved hiring conditions (ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey 2023).[9]
02
43% of employers in the US report that they are unable to fill positions due to a lack of skilled applicants (US Chamber of Commerce workforce report, 2023).[10]
Interpretation
Workforce Needs Interpretation
Even with better hiring conditions, 33% of employers still face persistent talent shortages and 43% in the US cannot fill roles because they lack skilled applicants, showing a clear workforce needs gap driven by skill mismatch.
04 · Category
Market Size3 stats
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In the adult industry, the market is expanding rapidly with $31.1 billion in the global corporate e-learning sector in 2023 and additional acceleration shown by a $17.6 billion talent management software forecast by 2025, supported by a $2.0 billion virtual classroom market in 2023.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis3 stats
01
US firms that invest in training have 24% higher productivity than firms with low training investment (OECD analysis of firm-level training and productivity, 2019).[1]
02
26% of adults in the EU reported cost as a barrier to training/education (Eurofound, 2021).[14]
03
In the US, workers who participate in job training were 20% more likely to earn higher wages within 12 months (OECD evaluation of ALMP/Job training impacts, 2020).[1]
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Across cost analysis, the data show a clear affordability barrier and payoff pattern: 26% of adults in the EU cite cost as a barrier to training, yet in the US firms that invest in training have 24% higher productivity and participants in job training are 20% more likely to earn higher wages within 12 months.
More related reading
06 · Category
Performance Outcomes7 stats
01
66% of workers who underwent digital skills training reported improved job performance (World Bank digital skills training beneficiary survey, 2021).[15]
02
73% of training participants reported increased confidence in performing tasks after training (OECD Survey of Adult Skills follow-up, 2017).[1]
03
In a meta-analysis of workplace training, average effect size corresponds to about a 10–20% improvement in job performance relative to control (Scholarly meta-analysis, 2018).[16]
04
Employees who receive mentoring after training show about 20–30% higher skill retention than those without mentoring (Cochrane review of workplace learning supports, 2019).[17]
05
Adults who completed a vocational program in OECD countries experienced a median earnings premium of 10% (OECD Education at a Glance 2021).[1]
06
34% of surveyed employers said reskilling reduced attrition compared with hiring externally (Deloitte human capital trends survey, 2023).[18]
07
1 year after completing a training program, participants in active labor market programs saw labor market outcomes improve by 6.1% (OECD evaluation report 2019).[1]
Interpretation
Performance Outcomes Interpretation
Performance outcomes from adult upskilling and reskilling are consistently positive, with 66% reporting improved job performance after digital skills training and an overall workplace training effect translating into about a 10 to 20% boost versus control.
07 · Category
Workplace Adoption1 stats
01
62% of organizations increased their investment in learning and development in 2024 (ATD Training Industry Report 2024), indicating growing workplace spend and attention[7]
Interpretation
Workplace Adoption Interpretation
In the workplace adoption space, 62% of organizations increased their learning and development investment in 2024, signaling that upskilling and reskilling are gaining real momentum in how businesses commit resources.
08 · Category
Funding And Costs1 stats
01
3.7% of US private industry employees received tuition assistance in 2022 (BLS National Compensation Survey program results), quantifying the reach of subsidized learning[8]
Interpretation
Funding And Costs Interpretation
In 2022, only 3.7% of US private industry employees received tuition assistance, underscoring that funding for adult upskilling and reskilling remains limited for most workers.
09 · Category
Outcomes And ROI3 stats
01
6-month job placement rates improved by 8 percentage points after participation in an active labor market training program in a matched study (peer-reviewed evaluation in Journal of Labor Economics 2019), indicating measurable employment gains[19]
02
1.7x higher odds of employment for individuals who received vocational training versus those who did not (systematic review meta-analysis published 2020), estimating employment impact directionally[20]
03
62% of organizations report improved employee performance after implementing learning programs with measurable skills frameworks (ASTD/ATD research brief 2022), indicating outcome measurement value[7]
Interpretation
Outcomes And ROI Interpretation
From an Outcomes And ROI perspective, active labor market training shows clear employment returns with a matched study finding a rise of 8 percentage points in 6-month job placement and a 2020 meta-analysis estimating 1.7 times higher odds of employment, while organizations also report 62% improved performance when learning programs track measurable skills.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Upskilling And Reskilling In The Adult Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-adult-industry-statistics
MLA
Gabrielle Fontaine. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The Adult Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-adult-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The Adult Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-adult-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
20 sources cited across this report