English Upskilling: The Overlooked Strategy for Retention, Resilience, and Career Readiness

Our friends at Jobs for the Future (JFF) just released their new State of the Impact Employer survey, offering a timely look at how more than 500 senior business leaders are navigating today’s talent landscape. The findings reflect growing urgency around early-career development, AI readiness, and the need for smarter upskilling strategies.

At EnGen, we were struck by how closely these insights align with our 2025 Workforce Report. Earlier this year, we surveyed more than 6,000 frontline workers and job seekers across sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, food service, and more. Our survey highlights perspectives from a high potential but often overlooked talent pool: adults with limited English skills, who now represent 1 in 10 working-age adults in the U.S.

Both surveys tell us that employers and employees are aligned in seeking better solutions for employee engagement, career growth, and skill-building. And English upskilling sits at the intersection of all of these priorities. Delivering English skills and job skills in an online, on-demand format, it’s a powerful solution for unlocking employees’ potential while delivering measurable workforce outcomes for organizations.

Here’s a deeper look at insights from both surveys:

1/ Retention Is a Top Priority. Make Upskilling Count. 

Amidst economic uncertainty and evolving workforce pressures, JFF found that 75% of employers are most concerned with employee engagement and retention. They’re aware of the need to invest in their workers, but many aren’t sure how to proceed. 

That’s where English upskilling shines: 84% of workers said they would stay with their employer because of the opportunity to learn English at work, and 86% would refer someone to the company for the same reason. When English is no longer a barrier to career pathways, trust and loyalty grow.

2/ Balance Short-Term Needs and Long-Term Growth

Many employers are investing in short-term, responsive training, according to JFF. Yet they may be missing the chance to build lasting career pathways, such as apprenticeships or college-to-career programs.

English upskilling integrates seamlessly across a wide range of workforce development efforts—from day-one onboarding to multi-year apprenticeship programs—making career growth more accessible for multilingual employees. And format matters: 75% of learners said EnGen’s flexible, online approach helped them more than traditional classroom-based programs.

3/ AI Is Reshaping Work, But Not Everyone Is Ready

JFF’s research highlights a growing disconnect: while executives are confident about their companies’ strategies for AI adoption, workers feel unprepared.

English upskilling can help fill this gap. A full 90% of EnGen learners improved their digital skills in addition to English skills, building the confidence to navigate tech-enabled tools and workflows. That’s a critical step toward AI readiness.

A Future-Ready Workforce Includes Multilingual Talent

In today’s evolving workplace, employers are thinking differently about who they hire, how they train, and how they retain talent. English upskilling is a proven, scalable solution that helps build a more prepared and productive workforce.

Want to see how it works? Request an EnGen demo to learn how English upskilling can power your talent development strategies.