Study Shows Only One in 14 Ohio Seniors Has Needed Skills

First State to Document "Skill Gap" and Develop Strategy to Close It

June 11, 1998

COLUMBUS, Ohio—A groundbreaking initiative of the Ohio Business Roundtable, the Ohio Department of Education and ACT, Inc. documents that only one in 14 Ohio high school seniors is prepared for performing most skilled entry-level jobs in the state. These first-ever findings also set the stage for actions to close the gap between what students know and what they need to know to succeed in the workplace.

A scientific sample of 14,474 Ohio high school seniors from 119 schools were given ACT's WorkKeys® tests in Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, Applied Technology and Locating Information. Test results were then compared with the skills and skill levels required for successful performance in specific Ohio occupations, as defined by WorkKeys "job profiles."

"We are the first to identify and systematically measure the gaps between high school seniors’ knowledge and skills and the demands of today’s workplaces," said Jacqueline F. Woods, president of Ameritech Ohio and chair of the Ohio Business Roundtable’s Workforce Development Committee. "Only seven percent of Ohio high school seniors—one in every 14—meet workplace standards in all four skill areas tested.

"This is significant because employers look for employees who meet a combination of skill requirements. So students’ inability to perform adequately in all four areas is the source of great concern. With these facts, we can enter a new era of stronger cooperation between educators, employers and communities—an era that promises to help our young people get the skills they need to succeed."

The findings are contained in the report Knowledge & Know-How: Meeting Ohio’s Skill Gap Challenge. They include:

Students performed best in the two of the four skill areas most often included in today’s high school curriculum–Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information. The lowest scores came in Applied Technology and Locating Information.
The skill gap is greatest for science and social service jobs.
College-bound students tended to earn higher scores than noncollege-bound students. For instance, about 70 percent of college-bound students meet workplace standards in Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information, but only about one-third of the noncollege-bound students fared as well. In Applied Technology and Locating Information, fewer than 30 percent of college-bound students meet workplace standards. However, fewer than 11 percent of noncollege-bound students do.
Students in urban schools scored slightly lower than their counterparts in suburban and rural schools. For instance, in Reading for Information, about 60 percent of suburban and rural students meet the average skill requirements for 80 percent of available jobs, while these requirements are met by slightly less than half of urban students.

To John M. Goff, Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction, the initiative’s findings underscore a need for academic improvements connected to work experience during the high school years. "All students need to thrive in today’s job market," said Goff, "but we are not preparing all of our students to meet world-class standards in core academic areas, and too few students graduate prepared for productive work. Our schools must continue to strengthen students’ scores in reading, math and science–and find ways to apply knowledge to real world situations."

"Higher expectations matter," said Thomas H. Saterfiel, senior vice president at ACT, Inc. "Students need a clear understanding of the skills–and the levels of competency in those skill areas–that will ensure they are prepared for the future. Employers, parents and educators must work together to pinpoint the academic and skill standards that will lead to a winning workforce. Measuring student performance statewide will underscore the importance of these expectations."

Knowledge & Know-How also lists specific steps that will help educators, employers, parents, communities, students and public officials close Ohio’s skill gap. These recommendations include:

To continue demanding higher academic standards and increased accountability. Set standards that prepare students for success in school, the workplace, and life. Focus on results–measuring and reporting student and system performance so that students, teachers, parents and the public can understand and act on the information.
To involve parents, employers and community leaders in setting academic standards and skill standards. Expand the dialogue between employers and educators, particularly as it relates to work skill requirements.
To encourage employers to incorporate academic standards into their recruitment, hiring and certification requirements. Urge them to ask potential employees to provide copies of their high school transcripts and, if available, a "career passport" that defines their competencies, skills and accomplishments.
To ensure that teachers and administrators have professional development opportunities that give them a better understanding of the workplace.
To create new opportunities for work-based learning through internships, apprenticeships, mentorships and other School-to-Work experiences. As appropriate, integrate academic and occupational objectives into class work.
To let children know that learning is a lifelong process. Demonstrate the connection between their school performance and career opportunities.

ACT’s WorkKeys system identifies and measures critical workplace skills. By translating job requirements into skills and skill levels, WorkKeys identifies an individual’s readiness to succeed in a given job and provides a common language to facilitate communication among educators, learners and employers.