Published
September 12, 2025
As the labor market continues to evolve, one of the most overlooked yet promising talent sources remains overlooked: adult workers. These individuals—whether currently employed, underemployed, or re-entering the workforce—bring a wealth of experience, adaptability, and motivation to the table. Yet, they remain underutilized in many industries facing persistent talent shortages.
From healthcare and skilled trades to logistics, manufacturing, IT, and financial services, adult workers play an essential role in creating and sustaining prosperous communities. But connecting them to opportunity requires more than goodwill—it demands a strategic, employer-led approach.
Why Adult Workers Matter
Adult learners often bring transferable skills, real-world experience, and a strong desire to grow. Many are seeking to upskill or reskill in response to automation, economic shifts, or personal goals. Their success depends on systems that meet their unique needs—such as flexible scheduling, accelerated learning pathways, and credit for prior learning.
Too often, due to an outdated talent marketplace, adult learners and workers lack the resources or social capital to connect to meaningful employment or advancement opportunities. This is where the adult education community plays a critical role in bridging the gap between a viable talent pool and employers in need of qualified workers.
Leveraging Proven Strategies
To unlock this potential, employers must be in the driver’s seat of business-education partnerships. Two efforts—Behind Every Employer (led by the Coalition on Adult Basic Education, or COABE) and the Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) initiative from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation—demonstrate what’s possible when employers are at the center of workforce solutions.
Behind Every Employer Exemplars
Authentic employer leadership in supporting adult learners and workers is essential. One standout example is Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A.’s largest manufacturing facility in Nebraska. Since 2021, Kawasaki has partnered with Lincoln Literacy to offer English language classes to its employees—many adult immigrants and refugees. Funded through federal workforce dollars, these classes have helped more than 200 employees improve their English skills, boosting scores by an average of 32%. More than 40 participants have since been promoted to leadership roles, and the company reports a retention rate exceeding 80% among those who have taken the classes.
Another success story comes from TA Services, a logistics provider in Indiana. Since 2019, TA Services has partnered with McDowell Education Center to offer adult education and certification programs. More than 35 employees have completed courses, with 10 receiving promotions. One employee, Courtney Faulkner, went from auditor to quality supervisor after earning her Certified Logistics Technician credential. She credits the training with helping connect education to her role, empowering her growth within the company and industry.
A TPM Standout
In Kalamazoo, Michigan, the Edison ECE Career Pathway—a partnership between YWCA Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo Literacy Council (KLC)—demonstrates how employer-led strategies can unlock opportunity for adult learners in underserved neighborhoods. Faced with a shortage of early childhood educators, the initiative focused on recruiting and training adult residents of the Edison neighborhood, where nearly 30% of households earn less than $25,000 and many adults are out of the labor force. Using the TPM framework, KLC and its partners built a structured pathway that allowed adults to enter the workforce immediately, receive on-the-job training, earn credentials like the Child Development Associate (CDA), and access wraparound services such as housing, food assistance, and financial literacy.
Since its launch, the initiative has connected more than 60 participants to jobs paying at least $15 per hour and reduced turnover among early learning professionals by 20%. For adult learners like Lawonda White, who was promoted within six months of starting her new role, the Edison ECE Career Pathway has been “a wonderful road”— meeting people where they are and helping them advance.
Call to Action: Prioritize Adult Workers in Your Talent Strategy
The message is clear: adult workers are not a backup plan—they are a strategic advantage. Employers and workforce leaders must prioritize this population in their talent strategies, and TPM offers a scalable framework to do just that. By aligning employer demand with training supply and partnering with adult education organizations, businesses can tap into a motivated, capable, and often overlooked workforce.
The future of work depends on inclusive, forward-thinking strategies—and adult workers must be at the center of that future.
