Insights from the Global Coursera Skills Report

Amidst a global generative AI (GenAI) surge, how do US skills stack up globally? What does the latest Coursera skills report reveal about US skills gaps?

“North America remains steadfast in developing a skilled, inclusive workforce ready for the digital economy,” according to Coursera’s 2024 Global Skills Report. Yet “nearly one-third of US workers lack foundational digital skills.” This finding is especially concerning amidst a global generative AI (GenAI) surge. How do US skills stack up globally? What does the latest Coursera skills report reveal about US skills gaps?

Global Rise in GenAI is Driving Need for an AI-Competent Workforce

In its sixth annual Global Skills Report, Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda emphasized GenAI as the major force driving skills and learning changes around the world. “The rise of generative AI (GenAI) underscores the pressing need for new and innovative strategies to build a competitive workforce,” says Maggioncalda in the foreword.

The report draws on skills proficiency data from its online courses as well as third-party metrics such as the World Bank’s GDP per capita, its Human Capital Index and labor force participation rates to analyze skills and competencies around the world.

Here’s the GenAI backdrop, according to Coursera (and their referenced sources):

Two-thirds of jobs are exposed to some degree of automation.
GenAI is poised to deliver $4.4 trillion in productivity gains to the global economy.

At this stage, the GenAI surge is not new. Government, businesses, academic institutions, and learners are responding.

In North America, 72% of CEOs say that GenAI is a top investment priority.
In 2023, learners signed up for a GenAI course on Coursera every minute; by 2024, this rate had quadrupled!
The 1,060% year-over-year increase in global GenAI course enrollments highlights how employers and employees are actively preparing for AI’s impact on their jobs and careers.

In 2023, learners signed up for a GenAI course every minute; by 2024, this rate had quadrupled!

GenAI is not the only skillset covered in the Coursera skills report. While GenAI is the headline result, the report presents a view of skills and credential trends at a country, regional, and global level. Skills and competencies are grouped into three broad categories, or domains: Business, Technology, and Data Science.

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US is “Emerging” on Global Skills Ranking

Out of 109 countries in the Coursera skills report, the US ranks 70th globally for business, 71st for technology, and 55th for digital science competency.

Switzerland, Japan, and Germany claimed the top three global skill rankings this year. The U.S. comes in at 69, a disappointing position for a country eager to lead in the global marketplace. A ranking of 69 puts us in the “Emerging” category on the global skill ranking scale.

Cutting-Edge (rankings 1-28)

Most are in Europe, parts of Asia Pacific, and Latin America

84% Average skill proficiency percentile on Coursera
48.32 Average Global Innovation Index score
75.3 Average Labor Force Participation rate

Competitive (rankings 29-55)

Primarily Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia Pacific. Plus, countries such as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates

59% Average skill proficiency percentile on Coursera
36.7 Average Global Innovation Index score
73.4 Average Labor Force Participation rate

Emerging (rankings 56-82)

North America and parts of Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa

39% Average skill proficiency percentile on Coursera
30.1 Average Global Innovation Index score
67.8 Average Labor Force Participation rate

Lagging (rankings 83-109)

Primarily Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa

18% Average skill proficiency percentile on Coursera
21.9 Average Global Innovation Index score
58.4 Average Labor Force Participation rate

Out of 109 countries in the Coursera skills report, the US ranks 70th globally for business, 71st for technology, and 55th for digital science competency. We have a global skill ranking of 69.

A Closer Look at North America/US Skills and Gaps

In North America, Coursera has 31.2 million learners. The report ties the growing semiconductor industry to a strong focus on skills such as SQL, Python programming, and supply chain logistics expected to drive innovation and economic growth in the sector.

In North America, Coursera found:

A strong commitment to digital upskilling
A 1040% increase in GenAI course enrollments (1,058% for the US alone)
61% rise in year-over-year professional certificate enrollments, with learners gravitating toward data analytics, cybersecurity, and project management
Achievement of gender parity in online learning, with women comprising 52% of learners

With 92% of US job ads requiring digital proficiency, these trends are encouraging. So, too, is the trend of US learners focusing on a mix of business and technical skills.

Top skills in the U.S. today include:

Geovisualization
SQL
Business Communication
General Accounting
Epidemiology
Bayesian Statistics
Spreadsheet Software
Change Management
Python Programming
Project Management

However, “nearly one-third of US workers lack foundational digital skills, with workers of color disproportionately affected.” And, although the need for highly trained STEM workers grows, fewer than 100,000 US graduates are earning engineering and computer science degrees each year.

Nearly one-third of US workers lack foundational digital skills.

Interestingly, despite the lack of cybersecurity talent making headlines in the last few years, cybersecurity enrollment growth was up a mere 8% since last year.

Closing the US Skills Gap

While the uptick in GenAI skills development in the US is just below the global average, we trail many other developed countries. And the more general digital skills gap is concerning.

To keep up (catch up) with top-performing countries – and to effectively compete in the global marketplace – U.S. governments, academic institutions, and employers need to align and equip themselves with the skills needed in our economy.

Coursera offers a few practical suggestions for businesses:

Prioritize AI training to equip employees with mission-critical skills to drive innovation and productivity.
Invest in upskilling employees in mission-critical digital skills to keep pace with digital transformation in your industry.
Equip your team with cybersecurity skills to manage cyber risks and develop talent to fill skill gaps.
Adapt hiring practices to recognize micro-credentials and prioritize developing skills in-house for data analytics, cybersecurity, and project management.
Use regional skills trends to guide talent recruitment, development, and retention.

If you are diving into a company review of your skills and how you’re stacking up in your market, download our Competency Management Toolkit to learn how to capture and manage essential employee skills data. Or contact us to see if Avilar’s WebMentor Skills™ can support your talent management initiative.

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