Are High School Grads Ready for Work? Employers Say “Not Quite”

In Wyoming, and across the nation, we’re bracing for a so-called “perfect storm” of workforce challenges. A nationwide population decline, fueled by lower birth rates and restrictive immigration policies, is shrinking the labor pool. Here at home, young adults are leaving Wyoming at unprecedented rates, going across state borders to find better jobs, better pay, or better quality of life. And to make matters worse, too many high school graduates are entering the world without the skills they need to succeed, whether in trade schools, universities, or directly into the workforce.

A new Hire Readiness Report 2025 from the U.S. Chamber and College Board reveals that most hiring managers believe high school graduates are not adequately prepared for today’s workforce.

1. Preparedness Concerns:

   • Four in five (84%) surveyed hiring managers agree that most high school students are not prepared to enter the workforce.  

   • A strong majority (80%) agree that current high school graduates are less prepared to enter the workforce compared to previous generations. 

2. Education and Experience Matter:

   • Hiring managers cite trade schools (40%) and 4-year colleges (37%) as top ways to acquire early-career skills. 

   • Most (89%) hiring managers believe experience is more valuable than formal education and say that internships (46%) are a leading way for students to gain early-career skills. 

   • The vast majority (92%) of hiring managers said there should be more business courses in high school. 

3. Soft Skills are Critical:

   • Nearly all managers prioritize skills like communication (98%), decision making (97%), collaboration (94%), critical thinking (94%), and problem solving (90%).

4. Most Valued Skill – Financial Literacy:

   • 96% of hiring managers rank financial literacy as highly valuable, especially knowledge of budgeting, taxes, saving, investing, borrowing, credit, and debt.

Bottom Line: Hiring managers see today’s high school graduates as underprepared, but say the right mix of education, hands-on experience, and essential soft skills, especially financial literacy, can close the gap and better equip young professionals for the workforce.