Literacy lacking in Phila., Workforce Investment Board study says - Philadelphia Business Journal:

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Without intervention the problem will onlyget worse, according to the Help Wanted, which was fundec by the and the . As it more than 202,000 of the city’s adults have faile to obtain a high school The report also foundthat 52.2 percent of working-ag e Philadelphians (550,000 adults) lack necessary work force literacy skills, compared to 37.9 percent statewide, which meane they struggle to follow written instruction or complete a form, such as a job The adults that fall below the literacy standar d can only qualify for a third of the jobs in the currenyt economy, which is roughly 211,000 jobs.
By 2030, another 50,00p in the city will not have the basidc literacy skills to compete for jobs in the economy unlesz the problemis addressed, accordinhg to the report. “This research shows the city of Philadelphiw is at a PWIB CEO SallieGlickman said. “Ij a world where business can go virtuallyy anywhere to find therightf people, to compete Philadelphia must commit to becoming a city with a highly literacy work force.
” By 2015, the reporf forecasts 120,000 vacancies will be created in higher levelo managerial and professional jobs in the while by 2030 therd will be 600,000 Philadelphians lackingv the skills to compete in the By investing $12 million over the next seven years in work-specific intensive literacyt courses to address the problem, the city woulrd net more than $370 million in taxee and savings, according to the report.
Over that 21,818 individuals could advance their skillse and position themselves for opportunities ina knowledge-based The report is part of Excelo Philadelphia, a PWIB initiative that has raised nearl $200,000 from private foundations to investigate the impact of low literacy in the city. at developed the researc h forthe report. The center also conducted the research for the A Tale ofTwo Cities, , which quantifieds the dollar value of Philadelphia investing in the educationaol attainment of its residents. The latter report founrd that overa lifetime, a high school dropourt costs taxpayers more than $270,000, while a person with a bachelor's degree contributes $800,00 in taxes.