According to a new global report by Coursera, female students are falling behind in STEM enrollment.
US tech proficiency and data science skills are falling and lagging countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, according to the latest Coursera information. Global Skills Report. However, US learners show greater proficiency in essential business skills including marketing, leadership and management, strategy and operations.
It is now well known that the rise of automation and digital transformation, coupled with inflation and global uncertainty, are driving increased demand for the digital and human skills needed to development in the new economy.
But while not every worker needs to learn to code, every worker needs to know how to write digital skills. However, the Coursera report found that three-quarters of workers feel unprepared for employment in the digital-first economy.
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Also worth noting is that globally, internet access is unequal. The countries with the lowest 25% of academic achievement have an average Internet penetration rate of 54%, while the countries in the highest 25% have access rates close to 84%.
There is a strong correlation between skill level, GDP and broadband access. Wealthy countries score higher on overall skill proficiency, on par with countries with high levels of Internet access.
Increasing female education – but lagging in STEM enrollment
The survey also shows an increase in the number of women studying: 47% now compared with 45% in 2021 and 38% two years ago. Worldwide, however, women in education lag behind in STEM enrollment. In the United States, although STEM enrollment increases from 35% in 2019 to 42% in 2022, women still lag behind men.
According to the report, enrollment for an entry-level or “gateway” certificate course among women will reach 40% by 2021, up significantly from 25% in 2019. Certifications like Support Google IT and Google Data Analytics provide a clear pathway to gaining the skills needed for entry-level, high-demand digital jobs. These courses require a total of approximately 240 hours of study, which can be completed in just six months with 10 hours per week.
Additional findings from the Coursera . report
The US holds a steady position in the overall skills proficiency ranking – but has lost meaningful ground in core technology and data science skills. In last year’s report, learners in the US ranked 29th in the world: A position they maintained this year. However, while proficiency in business skills has increased, learners in the US lag behind other high-income countries in some key data science and technology skills, including software engineering, cloud computing, and mathematics.
American learners in the Northeast, upper Midwest, and along the Pacific Ocean have the highest skill levels in business, while those in the South lag behind. Three midwestern states – Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana – ranked highest for business proficiency in the entire US
Idaho shows the highest level of tech skills in the country, outstripping tech hubs like California and Massachusetts. In-state learners also achieved 100% perfection in mobile development skills. This reflects a growth trend driven by a 61 percent increase in the number of high-tech companies in the state over the past decade.
Learners in the US have increased their focus on people skills amid a rapidly changing workforce. The workforce disruptions caused by the pandemic and the pace of automation are forcing businesses to adapt quickly. People skills such as resilience, project management, decision making, planning, storytelling, and experimentation are increasingly popular among business learners in the United States, as organizations strive to navigate change.
America still lags behind the curve in math skills. The math proficiency of learners in the US plummets from 56% in 2021 to 40% in 2022. This falls behind countries across Europe, including Germany with 81% and the UK in level 78%. Maine, Washington, and New Hampshire have the highest levels of math proficiency in the US, while Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee come in at third.
Global trends show that learners acquire both soft skills and digital skills
The Coursera report also shows that many learners in the developed world are acquiring people skills including change management and resilience. Learners in developing countries are more focused on digital skills through courses such as supply chain systems and mobile architecture.
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The most popular technology and business skills globally last year were leadership and management, probability and statistics, and theoretical computer science. For the second year in a row, Switzerland has the highest number of skilled learners, followed by Denmark, Indonesia and Belgium.
Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera, said: “Great resignations and automation are demanding stronger investments in human capital, as organizations must prioritize developing digital skills. and people have a high need to build a competitive and equal workforce,” said Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera, in a statement. “Our data shows that these skills are not evenly distributed and that students and low-wage workers need access to flexible, affordable and fast-tracked pathways to to entry-level digital jobs, the foundation for a stronger and more inclusive economy.”
The Global Skills Report includes data from 100 million learners in more than 100 countries who used Coursera to develop a new skill over the past year, the company said. The report assesses three of the most in-demand skill areas driving employment in the digital economy: Business, technology and data science.
