Chapter 1. Overview: Why skills matter Chapter 2. Adults' pro ciency in key information-processing skills Chapter 3. The socio-demographic distribution of key information-processing skills Chapter 4. How skills are used in the workplace Chapter 5. The outcomes of investment in skills

Human capital is a key determinant of success for individuals and economies alike. Literacy and numeracy are key foundations for higher-order cognitive skills, while solving problems in technology-rich environments is increasingly important, as information and communications technology (ICT) spreads into all aspects of life. Despite remarkable recent increases in enrolment and educational attainment, the countries of Latin America lag behind in skills development among both secondary school students and the wider adult population.

This edition of the Reader’s Companion accompanies Skills Matter: Additional Results from the Survey of Adult Skills that reports the results from the 39 countries and regions that participated in the 3 rounds of data collection in the first cycle of PIAAC, with a particular focus on the 6 countries that participated in the third round of the study (Ecuador, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Peru and the United States). It describes the design and methodology of the survey and its relationship to other international assessments of young students and adults.

The report explores the challenges for LAC adult learning systems in supplying labour market relevant skills, what are the barriers to an inclusive participation in adult learning and what solutions governments, firms and individuals should collectively put in place to ensure that adult learning is truly effective.

With digitalisation, deepening globalisation and population ageing, the world of work is changing. The extent to which individuals, firms and economies can harness the benefits of these changes critically depends on the readiness of adult learning systems to help people develop relevant skills ...

Peru's solid macroeconomic framework has driven substantial economic growth and poverty reduction in the past two decades. While the economy swiftly rebounded from the pandemic due to strong policy support, it exposed structural weaknesses such as a large informal sector and stark regional disparities in accessing public services.

In times of growing economic inequality, improving equity in education becomes more urgent. While some countries and economies that participate in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) have managed to build education systems where socio-economic status makes less of a difference to students' learning and well-being, every country can do more. Equity in Education: Breaking Down Barriers to Social Mobility shows that high performance and more positive attitudes towards schooling among disadvantaged 15-year-old students are strong predictors of success in higher education and work later on. The report examines how equity in education has evolved over several cycles of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). It identifies the policies and practices that can help disadvantaged students succeed academically and feel more engaged at school. Using longitudinal data from five countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Switzerland, and the United States), the report also describes the links between a student's performance near the end of compulsory education and upward social mobility - i.e. attaining a higher level of education or working in a higher-status job than one's parents.