English Skills Are Workforce Skills

Our latest workforce survey highlights a high-potential but often underutilized segment of the workforce: adult English learners. These individuals represent 1 in 10 working-age adults,¹ many with in-demand credentials and professional experience, yet the workforce system has historically missed a critical opportunity to connect this talent pool with a foundational workforce skill: English.

An innovative approach to English language learning for work—called English upskilling —is emerging as a high-impact, highly scalable workforce development strategy.

Across the U.S. and Canada, employers, adult education programs, local governments, and workforce boards are investing in English upskilling as a solution to strengthen talent pipelines, connect incumbent workers with high-demand skills, and advance communication, safety, and productivity on the job.

This survey serves as a resource for workforce leaders seeking to better understand how English upskilling can power their local workforces and drive business results.

Methodology

In January 2025, EnGen fielded a multilingual survey to nearly 40,000 adult English learners who access English upskilling through their workplaces, adult education, or workforce development programs. The response rate was 15.4%. Insights below are based on responses from 6,044 learners.

Survey respondents come from dozens of countries and speak more than four dozen languages other than English.

In our third year of fielding our annual survey, we are pleased to see the N more than doubling year over year. Our 2024 survey had 2,326 respondents and our 2023 survey had 598 respondents. We see growing interest from adult English learners in sharing their perspectives, and from employers and workforce leaders in understanding English upskilling as a proven talent development strategy.

What is English Upskilling?

English upskilling is a comprehensive workforce development solution that equips workers with in-demand skills—including English skills and job skills—needed for success in essential fields like healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, food service, e-commerce and more.

This model of AI-powered English learning for employees is delivered on-demand from a tablet or smartphone, making it customizable for workers’ interests and scalable for workforce needs. For example, EnGen’s approach to English upskilling includes digital learning, live group classes, personalized coaching, and customized content. The solution is being rapidly adopted by employers, community colleges, nonprofits, and local governments to support workforce development initiatives across the U.S. and Canada.

Insight 1 English upskilling improves employee recruitment and retention.

Amid staffing shortages and a tightening economy, employers seek innovative talent development and management strategies to improve retention and strengthen bottom lines—and they’re finding solutions with workforce English programs. A national grocery retailer reports double-digit retention gains among workers who participate in employer-sponsored English upskilling, while a healthcare employer has seen a significant bump in referrals from incumbent workers who recognize the benefits of learning English for their jobs. This year’s survey further quantifies that impact, highlighting how workforce English training is a powerful way to promote existing employees, attract new workers, and strengthen talent pipelines.

Insight 2 English upskilling drives confidence, communication, and customer experience.

Equipping workers with high-demand job skills, including English skills, enhances employee engagement, communication, and safety—ultimately driving customer experiences. Companies like fast casual restaurants and major hotel brands are seeing the benefits of workforce English instruction: By improving communication skills among housekeeping and kitchen staff, they’re boosting worker’s confidence and opening pathways to customer-facing roles, driving better customer service that translates to improved bottom lines. Companies with highly engaged employees see 23% more profitability than those with disengaged workers.² This year’s survey shows how English learning at work boosts employee confidence, communication, and job performance.

Insight 3 English upskilling mitigates critical skills gaps.

A staggering 70% of employers say they’re facing a skills gap that’s holding back business performance, and nearly 40% report that the gap is getting worse.³ A major culprit? Limited digital literacy. While 92% of jobs require digital skills, a full 1 in 3 workers—including 2 out of 3 adult English learners—lack these essential abilities.⁴ There’s good news: Employers across sectors, from retail to manufacturing and more, are discovering that mobile-first language learning effectively connects workers with digital literacy, career readiness, and English skills simultaneously. This year’s survey highlights the potential of AI-powered English training to address skills gaps at scale.

Insight 4 English upskilling supports a culture of learning and development.

Organizations that invest in workplace learning see higher retention, promotion, and productivity. In fact, 94% of employees said they’d stay longer at a company that supports their career growth.⁵ Yet many job training programs treat English as a barrier instead of a key workforce skill. Companies like a major clothing retailer and a global food brand are changing this dynamic by integrating English instruction into company onboarding and job training programs, ensuring that all workers, regardless of language background, can advance in their careers. Our survey underscores how English upskilling is enabling more employers to make learning and development accessible to all workers.

Insight 5 English upskilling fosters potential at work and at home.

Employers who invest in their workers empower their potential—and see gains in retention, morale, and engagement in return. As companies focus on employee well-being and empowerment, many are adding English upskilling to their offerings. At a major e-commerce company, language learning is a top offering in an employee benefits package, and with good reason: Our survey results show how the opportunity to access English learning at work brings real benefits to employees at home.