Obstacles to education goals
Even with this premium on education, there are several pervasive roadblocks workers face in achieving their education goals. The top barriers reported include not having the money to pay for the program (30 percent), not having the time (28 percent), and having too much going on at work and in their personal lives to take on any new challenges (28 percent).
When it comes to underrepresented workers, these obstacles are amplified. Black employees (44 percent) report the inability to afford education programs as a more prevalent issue than white employees (29 percent), and working women (36 percent) are more likely than working men (22 percent) to report this challenge. Nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of women said they have not been able to participate in an education program in the past 5 years, while just over half (51 percent) of men report the same.
Education on the forefront
With many employers calling employees back to the office in some capacity this fall, employers are going to find that employees have returned with a renewed vision for education, provided by their employer. Three in five (60 percent) American workers expect employers to offer education assistance benefits, with a similar proportion also expecting employers to offer a broad range of options when it comes to these benefits (57 percent).
Underrepresented workers, including Black and Hispanic/Latino workers, reported a higher appreciation for education benefits. Compared to white workers (73 percent), more Black (90 percent) and Hispanic/Latino (88 percent) employees are looking to develop and expand their skillsets to advance and grow. Additionally, Black and Hispanic/Latino workers are more likely to believe that improving (86 percent and 85 percent, respectively) and diversifying (86 percent and 80 percent, respectively) their skillset is more crucial than ever before, as compared to their white peers (71 percent and 69 percent, respectively).
A win-win for employers and employees
While many workers see learning as a pathway to personal betterment, they also see it as a way to improve their performance on the job, thus benefiting their organizations. About one in three (33 percent) workers were driven to pursue education opportunities by a desire to contribute at a higher level and to bring more value to their organizations (31 percent). Black workers are more focused on improving their job security than their white coworkers (34 percent vs. 25 percent) and setting a positive example for their families (34 percent vs. 23 percent).
Buban adds, “For employers, there is a major benefit in offering career development and education opportunities that will serve to upskill employees and ultimately build a talent pipeline that will bolster recruiting efforts for years to come.”
Material from a press release was used in this report.
- Weak tech could push students, faculty to other institutions - April 13, 2026
- 13 predictions about edtech, innovation, and–yes–AI in 2026 - January 1, 2026
- 5 essential dimensions of AI literacy - December 12, 2025