Giving Compass' Take:

• The Aspen Institute shares the results from upskilling efforts in 2019, highlighting major corporate partnerships aimed at improving the workforce. 

• How can funders engage in upskilling efforts going forward? What skills does the workforce in your community need? 

• Learn how policy can help to upskill the workforce. 

2019 was yet another banner year for upskilling, with a number of large companies doubling down on already major commitments and new employers, colleges, community organizations, and more developing innovative new approaches. These expanded offerings now include master’s degrees, industry certifications, and skills development programs for working students, creating new opportunities for advancement for employees of businesses big and small. As UpSkill America approaches its fifth anniversary, we’re excited to see the continued growth of the upskilling field and creative new approaches to helping workers attain valuable skills.

These new commitments reflect broader changes in business. This year’s new statement on the purpose of a corporation from the Business Roundtable reflects companies’ growing understanding of the importance of upskilling. Among other priorities, the Roundtable’s members committed to:

Investing in our employees. This starts with compensating them fairly and providing important benefits. It also includes supporting them through training and education that help develop new skills for a rapidly changing world. We foster diversity and inclusion, dignity and respect.

This UpSkill America Year in Review provides highlights of these new programs and the work that we have done with our partners to provide tools and resources to help them create new training and education programs or improve their current offerings to help advance the skills and careers of their workers.

The year in numbers
  • $700 million: Amazon’s commitment to upskilling through 2025
  • 3,000: Employees who have graduated from college through Starbucks’ College Achievement Plan
  • 600+: Student employees eligible for Snow College’s training program
  • 93%: Course completion rate for the JetBlue Scholars program
  • 75: Types of degrees offered by the Chipotle Cultivate Education Program
  • 8.8%: Take-up rate in year one of the Disney Aspire college degree program