Majority of surveyed hiring managers agree that most high school students are not prepared to enter the workforce
Washington DC, September 19, 2025 – This survey from College Board and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, conducted by Ipsos, looked at the readiness of new hires to enter the workforce. It sheds light on hiring managers' perceptions of preparedness of entry-level employees across a range of small, mid-sized, and large companies.
The survey results indicate that while the perceived quality and preparedness of entry-level employees is good, there is room for improvement in both areas. Notably, most also agree that most high school students are not prepared to enter the workforce when they graduate. Also, these hiring managers indicate that they do value industry-recognized credentials, but also highly value “soft skills” such as critical thinking and communication.
The poll also finds that nearly all agree that high schools should have more courses that teach professional career skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, and that there should be more business courses. However, they also believe experience is more valuable than formal education.
To read the full report, please click here.
About the Study
These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between May 20th and June 9th, 2025. For this survey, a sample of 500 hiring managers from small, mid-sized, and large companies, age 18+ from the continental U.S. Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English.
To qualify for the survey, respondents had to be employed full-time and have input on the hiring process for entry-level employees. No post-hoc weights were applied to the data and the findings reflect the opinion of these respondents.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Mallory Newall
Vice President, US
Public Affairs
[email protected]
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