The Crisis in Workplace Literacy

The US Department of Education estimates that 25 million American adults are functional illiterates, and another 47 million people are marginal illiterates. Workers with an illiteracy problem can be a menace to themselves and their companies. Many corporations offer some type of basic skills trainin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Workforce management 1987-12, Vol.66 (12), p.72
Main Author: Goddard, Robert W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applicants
Business & industry
Candidates
Employee testing
Illiteracy
Labor force
Literacy
Manycompanies
Problems
Programs
Skills
Training
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Summary:The US Department of Education estimates that 25 million American adults are functional illiterates, and another 47 million people are marginal illiterates. Workers with an illiteracy problem can be a menace to themselves and their companies. Many corporations offer some type of basic skills training, but a huge gap still exists between the reading and mathematical skills of the workforce and the current and future needs of industry. The problem is getting more acute because automation and computerization have eliminated many jobs that required only limited skills and replaced them with jobs requiring far greater skills. Companies can identify applicants with literacy problems via pre-employment screening. Once hired, employees can be tested for areas in which they may lack sufficient skills. Companies also can become involved in community outreach programs that provide training opportunities for potential employees.
ISSN:1547-5565
2168-9016