U.S. Workers Know They Must Adapt but Action Is Stalling, New ETS Report Reveals

2026 ETS Human Progress Report — 50 States Edition reveals "adaptability paralysis," with 78% of U.S. workers saying job security no longer exists without continuous adaptation, yet proactive upskilling trailing global peers

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. workers overwhelmingly recognize that adaptability is now the foundation of job security, but time, cost, access and employer support are preventing awareness from turning into action, according to the 2026 ETS Human Progress Report — 50 States Edition, released today by ETS.

The report, based on a survey of more than 15,000 U.S. adults across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, finds that 78% of U.S. workers agree job security no longer exists without continuous adaptation, and 85% say upskilling or reskilling is no longer a choice but a necessity. Yet only 71% report proactively developing new skills — trailing the global average of 77% but far behind high-growth markets such as India (89%) and China (80%).

"America's workers are ready to adapt, but too many are being asked to do it without the time, resources or roadmap they need," said Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS. "That cannot be the worker's burden alone. Governors and CEOs have a shared responsibility to make workforce readiness a priority in every state and every organization, by investing in trusted credentials, measuring practical skills and building clear pathways that help people stay relevant, advance and compete in the economy ahead."

Key national findings

• Workers feel underprepared. 54% of U.S. workers say they feel underprepared for the next generation of jobs (vs. 49% globally), and 75% say they have no clear picture of what jobs will look like in 2035.
  
  
• AI disruption is already underway and uneven. U.S. workers estimate 26% of their work currently involves AI and expect that to rise to 43% within two years. Current AI usage at work ranges from 47% in Alaska to 18% in Maine and Wisconsin, creating a new divide as AI exposure increasingly determines opportunity.
  
  
• The emotional toll is real. 58% of U.S. workers report a fear of becoming obsolete (FOBO), rising to 74% among technology workers and 73% in financial services. 54% say their priorities have shifted from seeking job security to staying relevant.
  
  
• Barriers are stacking up. 68% of U.S. respondents say upskilling costs are difficult to cover, 63% struggle to find time to learn while maintaining their workload, and 57% find it difficult to get employer support. While 67% are interested in credentialing programs, only 41% have access to them — a 26-point gap.
  
  
• Americans seek support from trusted channels. 71% want government help in mastering workforce-readiness skills, and 89% agree employers should encourage workers to set credential goals throughout their careers. Trust in credentialing organizations and employers (43% each) outpaces trust in state/local (30%) and federal (28%) government as assessment providers.

State-level pressure points

The report finds the conditions for adaptability vary sharply by state. Maine, Hawaii and Pennsylvania stand out with workers reporting the greatest difficulties across multiple upskilling barriers, while workers in Alaska, the District of Columbia and Delaware report the fewest obstacles. Delaware leads the nation with 89% of workers saying they are proactively developing new skills, followed by Alaska (87%) and the District of Columbia (83%).

The education-to-workforce gap also emerges as a national theme: 61% of employed U.S. college graduates say their university did not adequately prepare them for the workforce, and 90% of U.S. respondents agree educational assessments should measure both academic knowledge and practical skills.

The U.S. scores 93.7 on the 2026 ETS Human Progress Index, below the global index of 96.7, indicating Americans perceive greater difficulty accessing education, upward mobility and upskilling than their global peers.

A call to action

The report identifies three priorities for building a future-ready U.S. workforce: employers turning expectations into clear credential pathways; governments funding access through trusted credentialing partnerships; and educators bridging learning and workforce readiness by integrating practical skills assessment.

To explore the full findings and to learn more, download the 2026 ETS Human Progress Report — 50 States Edition.

Methodology

The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of ETS from August 25 to September 10, 2025, among 15,357 U.S. adults aged 18 or older, with a minimum of 300 respondents per state and the District of Columbia. Data is weighted to reflect U.S. Census demographic distribution. Global comparisons are drawn from the global 2026 ETS Human Progress Report dataset of 32,558 adults across 18 countries.

About ETS

ETS is a global education and talent solutions organization enabling lifelong learners to be future ready. Our mission – advancing the science of measurement to power human progress – ensures our focus to enable everyone, everywhere, to demonstrate their skills and chart their path to future readiness for life. We are committed to readying 100M+ people for the next generation of jobs by 2035. We deliver on this commitment through trusted assessments and skills solutions – including TOEFL, TOEIC, GRE, Praxis and Futurenav – and groundbreaking initiatives powered by our Research Institute. With a robust global footprint, including subsidiaries (PSI), offices and operations in more than 200 countries and territories, we help over 50 million individuals each year measure their proficiency and unlock new opportunities. Discover how we expand our worldwide impact: www.ets.org

SOURCE ETS