“The French are useless.” Not our opinion, but the response of Le Monde (paywall) to the release on Tuesday of results from the OECD’s adult skills survey, which placed adults in France in the bottom half of around 20 countries in assessments of literacy, numeracy and problem-solving using digital devices.
The Paris newspaper wasn’t the only one wringing its hands: Media outlets and commentators around the world took time to weigh the results of the OECD survey, finding reasons to lament – or celebrate – the results. More...

The low-skilled are more likely than others to be unemployed, have bad health and earn much less, according to the first OECD Survey of Adult Skills. Countries with greater inequality in skills proficiency also have higher income inequality.
The OECD Survey of Adult Skills is the new PISA for adults (otherwise known as PIAAC). The Survey measured the skills of 16 to 65-year olds across 24 countries* and looked at how literacy, numeracy and problem-solving is used at work.  It provides clear evidence of how developing and using skills improves employment prospects and quality of life as well as boosting economic growth. It helps countries set meaningful targets benchmarked against the achievements of the world’s leading skills systems and to develop relevant policy responses. More...

Demand for high-level skills has never been greater. In the workplace, routine tasks are being automated, destroying jobs that were once middle-class bulwarks. Increasingly, economies demand workers skilled in problem-solving, communications and collaboration and reward those with the ability to recognise and exploit new technologies.
In the words of OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, “Skills have become the global currency of 21st Century economies. They transform lives and drive economies.”
But it’s clear that some OECD countries are not doing as well as others in  developing these vital skills. Too many people are being left behind, dimming their own economic prospects and depriving their societies of their full contribution. These issues are highlighted in the first edition of the OECD Skills Outlook, which reports on the findings of a survey of adult skills in more than 20 OECD and partner countries. More...

The PIAAC survey results provide new insights into the policy challenges facing skills system. The results were published on 8 October at 11.00 CET on the OECD dedicated website.
Results show that low-skilled individuals are increasingly likely to be left behind. Those with lower skills proficiency also tend to report poorer health, lower civic engagement and less trust.
The survey stressed that skills transform lives, generate prosperity and promote social inclusion. The results from the Survey of Adult Skills also underline the need to move from a reliance on initial education towards fostering lifelong, skills-oriented learning.
The level and distribution of skills differs markedly across countries. Results from the Survey of Adult Skills suggest that Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have been most successful in extending opportunities for adult learning to those adults who score at or below Level 1.
More information
EAEA Media Release on PIAAC
EAEA's policy page on PIAAC

By Scott Carlson. Twenty years ago, Aaron Apel headed off to the University of Wisconsin at Platteville, where he spent too little time studying and too much time goofing off. He left the university, eventually earning an associate degree in information technology at a community college.
Now, as a longtime staff member in the registrar's office at Wisconsin's Madison campus, he has advanced as far as his education will let him. "I have aspirations to climb the ladder in administration, but the opportunity isn't there without a four-year degree," he says. More...