How to Shrink the Skills Gap in California

California is currently facing a deficit of roughly one million workers with bachelor’s degrees to fill open jobs. By 2027, approximately 63 percent of the fastest growing, high-wage jobs in Solano County will require an associate’s degree or higher. Statewide, economists estimate that 20 of the top 30 occupations with the highest projected skills gaps will require at least some postsecondary education, with the majority requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.

This report highlights employers’ concerns about the lack of communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills required for almost all careers in the world today. These soft skills, called deeper learning, can be instilled in K-12 settings through innovative educational models.

Members of ReadyNation are calling on California policymakers to support innovative educational models, such as career academies, that incorporate deeper learning approaches to help ensure students graduate from high school better prepared for the workforce and whatever postsecondary education and training programs they might pursue. California must protect and expand funding support for promising educational models so they can reach more students over the long run.