OECD Skills Studies Skills Matter: Further Results from the Survey of Adult Skills

In the wake of the technological revolution that began in the last decades of the 20th century, labour market demand for information-processing and other high-level cognitive and interpersonal skills is growing substantially. The Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), was designed to provide insights into the availability of some of these key skills in society and how they are used at work and at home. The first survey of its kind, it directly measures proficiency in several information-processing skills – namely literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments. This volume reports results from the 24 countries and regions that participated in the first round of the survey in 2011-12 (first published in __OECD Skills Outlook 2013: First Results from the Survey of Adult Skills__) and from the nine additional countries that participated in the second round in 2014-15 (Chile, Greece, Indonesia [Jakarta], Israel, Lithuania, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovenia and Turkey). It describes adults’ proficiency in the three information-processing skills assessed, and examines how skills proficiency is related to labour market and social outcomes. Another related report, __The Survey of Adult Skills: Reader’s Companion, Second Edition__, describes the design and methodology of the survey and its relationship to other international assessments of young students and adults. Foreword 5 Acknowledgements 7 Table of Contents 9 Reader’s Guide 15 Executive summary 19 Chapter 1 - Overview: Why skills matter 21 Proficiency in information-processing skills among adults 25 Proficiency and socio-demographic characteristics 26 Information-processing skills and well-being 28 Information-processing skills and the labour market 28 Proficiency in information-processing skills and labour market outcomes 28 The use of information-processing skills at work 30 Mismatches of qualifications and skills 31 Chapter 2 - Adults’ proficiency in key information-processing skills 35 Reporting the results 39 Proficiency in literacy 40 Levels of literacy proficiency across countries and economies 41 Literacy-related non-response 44 Reading components 44 Distribution of proficiency scores across countries and economies 46 Mean proficiency scores in literacy 46 Variation of proficiency scores within countries/economies 48 Proficiency in numeracy 50 Levels of numeracy proficiency across countries/economies 50 Literacy-related non-response 52 Distribution of proficiency scores across countries/economies 52 Mean proficiency scores in numeracy 52 Variation of proficiency scores within countries and economies 54 Proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments 55 Levels of proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments across countries and economies 56 The proportion of adults without basic ICT skills 56 The relationship among the three proficiencies 58 Comparison of the results from the Survey of Adult Skills with those of previous surveys 61 Summarising performance across countries and economies 63 Summary 65 Chapter 3 - The socio-demographic distribution of key information-processing skills 69 Overview of socio-demographic differences in proficiency 70 Differences in skills proficiency related to educational attainment 72 Proficiency in literacy and numeracy among low- and high-educated adults 72 Proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments among low- and high‐educated adults 74 Skills and education among younger adults 75 Differences in skills proficiency related to age 77 Proficiency in literacy and numeracy among older and younger adults 79 Proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments among older and younger adults 81 Differences in skills proficiency related to gender 83 Proficiency in literacy and numeracy among men and women 83 Proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments among men and women 85 Differences in skills proficiency related to country of origin and language 86 Proficiency in literacy among native- and foreign-born adults 86 Proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments among native- and foreign-born adults 88 Differences in skills proficiency related to socio-economic background 89 Proficiency in literacy among adults with high- and low-educated parents 90 Adults with low proficiency 91 Summary 93 Chapter 4 - How skills are used in the workplace 97 Measuring skills use in the workplace and in everyday life 99 Levels of skills use in the workplace and in everyday life 100 Why skills use at work matters 102 Skills use, wages and job satisfaction 102 Skills use and productivity 103 The link between proficiency and use of information-processing skills 104 The variation of skills use at work 106 The distribution of skills use, by workers’ gender, age and educational attainment 107 Gender 107 Age 108 Educational attainment 109 The demand side: How firm and job characteristics influence skills use 111 Industry, firm size and sector 112 Type of contract 113 Work organisation 115 Summary 118 Chapter 5 - The outcomes of investment in skills 121 Skills proficiency, labour market status and wages2 122 Proficiency and employment 123 Literacy proficiency, education and employment 124 Proficiency and wages 125 Literacy proficiency, education and wages 128 Mismatch between workers’ skills and job requirements, and its impact on wages 131 Mismatch in the Survey of Adult Skills 132 Overlap between skills, field-of-study and qualifications mismatch 136 How mismatch interacts with proficiency and other individual and job characteristics 138 The effect of mismatch on wages 143 Skills and non-economic outcomes 146 Trust 146 Volunteering 148 Political efficacy 148 Health 149 Summary 150 Annex A - Skills Matter: Further Results from the Survey of Adult Skills, Tables of results 155 Annex B - Skills Matter: Further Results from the Survey of Adult Skills, Additional tables 159 In The Wake Of The Technological Revolution That Began In The Last Decades Of The 20th Century, Labour Market Demand For Information-processing And Other High-level Cognitive And Interpersonal Skills Is Growing Substantially. The Survey Of Adult Skills, A Product Of The Oecd Programme For The International Assessment Of Adult Competencies (piaac), Was Designed To Provide Insights Into The Availability Of Some Of These Key Skills In Society And How They Are Used At Work And At Home. The First Survey Of Its Kind, It Directly Measures Proficiency In Several Information-processing Skills -- Namely Literacy, Numeracy And Problem Solving In Technology-rich Environments. This Volume Reports Results From The 24 Countries And Regions That Participated In The First Round Of The Survey In 2011-12 (first Published In Oecd Skills Outlook 2013: First Results From The Survey Of Adult Skills) And From The Nine Additional Countries That Participated In The Second Round In 2014-15 (chile, Greece, Indonesia [jakarta], Israel, Lithuania, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovenia And Turkey). it Describes Adults' Proficiency In The Three Information-processing Skills Assessed, And Examines How Skills Proficiency Is Related To Labour Market And Social Outcomes. Another Related Report, The Survey Of Adult Skills: Reader's Companion, Second Edition, Describes The Design And Methodology Of The Survey And Its Relationship To Other International Assessments Of Young Students And Adults. 1. Overview: Why Skills Matter -- 2. Adults' Proficiency In Key Information-processing Skills -- 3. The Socio-demographic Distribution Of Key Information-processing Skills -- 4. How Skills Are Used In The Workplace -- 5. The Outcomes Of Investment In Skills. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 150-152). Also Available Online. Este volumen informa sobre los resultados de los 24 países y regiones que participaron en la primera ronda de la encuesta en 2011-12 (publicado por primera vez en OCDE Skills Outlook 2013: Primeros resultados de la Encuesta de habilidades para adultos) y de los nueve países adicionales que participaron en la segunda ronda en 2014-15 (Chile, Grecia, Indonesia [Yakarta], Israel, Lituania, Nueva Zelanda, Singapur, Eslovenia y Turquía). Describe el dominio de los adultos en las tres habilidades de procesamiento de la información evaluadas, y examina cómo el dominio de las habilidades se relaciona con el mercado laboral y los resultados sociales