Illiterate Workforce
Research at the time of this report showed that some 20% of the U.S. workforce was functionally illiterate.
It's well documented that the more skilled and educated workers are more productive, resulting in higher earnings and greater success. It’s also well documented that higher parental success enhances child well-being. The issue is getting advanced education, skills and training to poor, under-educated adult parents. This paper compares workforce development programs and continuing education programs created to give this crowd a chance at increased economic success and advantageous child rearing.
Parents are their children’s first and best teachers. Without further investments in today’s workforce, we fail to prepare tomorrow’s workforce. An investment in low-skilled workers today to improve education, skills and incomes means their children are likely to reap the rewards in the labor market when they enter adulthood. If we fail to invest in today’s workforce, we not only forgo an opportunity to increase the productivity of current workers, but also the future productivity of their children.