Project description
As economies become increasingly interconnected, communication skills have emerged as a critical component of workforce readiness. Yet millions of young people complete vocational and technical education each year without a standardized way to demonstrate communication competence to employers across industries, sectors, and borders. This project addresses that challenge through a scalable workforce communication credentialing model built on decades of assessment research and global workforce engagement.
The model enables technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, employers, and governments to integrate communication credentialing into skills pathways, hiring processes, and workforce development programs. Through modular assessment of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, learners gain portable evidence of their ability to communicate effectively in real-world professional environments.
The approach is informed by extensive employer research, including findings from the 2026 TOEIC Global English Skills Report, which surveyed more than 1,300 HR decision-makers across 17 countries. The research found that communication skills are increasingly viewed as essential to organizational success, workforce mobility, productivity, and effective use of AI-enabled technologies. Employers also reported growing demand for reliable, standardized methods to evaluate these skills.
Currently deployed in more than 160 countries, the model supports workforce readiness across sectors including aviation, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, and professional services. By helping learners translate skills into recognized evidence, the project strengthens employability, supports cross-border mobility, and promotes more equitable access to global economic opportunity.