Decision Skills in the Workforce
A national analysis from the Burning Glass Institute and the Alliance for Decision Education reveals that developing decision-making skills—like strategic thinking, risk analysis, and problem solving—prepares students to thrive in the workforce of tomorrow.
Published November 2025 • Alliance for Decision Education × Burning Glass Institute
Decision Skills in the Workforce
A national analysis from the Burning Glass Institute and the Alliance for Decision Education reveals that developing decision-making skills—like strategic thinking, risk analysis, and problem-solving—prepares students to thrive in the workforce of tomorrow.
Published November 2025 • Alliance for Decision Education × Burning Glass Institute
By the Numbers: Decision Skills in the Workforce
Decision-making skills are among the most in-demand abilities across industries, essential for navigating complexity and advancing careers in an evolving economy.
Report Takeaways
Decision-making is the human advantage powering careers in the workforce of the future.
Decision Skills Are in Demand Everywhere, at Every Level of Employment
Decision-making is a universal set of skills required across industries, occupations, and career levels — from healthcare and engineering to construction and service roles.
Decision-Making Is a Uniquely Human Advantage in an AI-Driven World
Decision-making is a measurable, teachable skill set that endures as technology and industries evolve. AI can automate tasks—but not judgment or discernment. As concern grows about AI’s effects on the labor market, Decision Education prepares students to thrive in an AI-driven world with the durable skills to use AI tools effectively.
Decision Skills Drive Economic Mobility
Employers reward decision-making with higher pay and career progression.
Decision Education Bridges Classrooms and Careers
Decision Education connects classroom learning to real-world success—equipping every student with the tools to navigate uncertainty and make better decisions. These durable skills are as important as literacy and numeracy, and should be part of every student’s learning experience.
Decision-Making Skills are In Demand Across Industries and Sectors
Watch “The Human Advantage: Decision Skills in an AI-Driven Workforce” Webinar
The conversation shared in “The Human Advantage: Decision Skills in an AI-Driven Workforce” was a powerful reminder that even as technology accelerates, the most important questions remain deeply human.
Our panelists explored what it means to prepare students and workers for a future shaped by AI, and they kept coming back to the same idea: tools will change, but human skills, like decision skills, will endure.
If you care about how we prepare young people for an uncertain future, especially for a rapidly evolving workforce, watch the recording and spend time with the ideas our panel surfaced. This is a conversation worth slowing down for.
Take Action: Help Students Build the Skills For a Brighter Future
Join the movement to empower the next generation of decision makers.
