From 2018 to 2025, the share of U.S. job postings explicitly mentioning training programs more than doubled—from 3.4% to 8.1%. But not all jobs are created equal when it comes to employer-provided training.
Where training is most common:
- Security & public safety
- Personal care & home health
In these roles, more than 1 in 5 postings offer structured training. Employers expect to onboard workers with minimal prior experience, building skills internally. Examples include free home health aide certifications or comprehensive paid training programs.
Where training is rare:
- Technical and high-skill jobs like software development, data analytics, and physician roles.
Here, workers are expected to come in with specialized skills already, and training tends to be limited or offered as small perks (e.g., $5,500/year for 40 hours of paid training).
Trends and insights:
- Training correlates with lower education, experience, and wages. Jobs with fewer entry requirements are more likely to provide structured training.
- AI exposure matters. Roles more exposed to AI or with higher AI adoption tend to advertise less training. Ironically, these are the very positions where upskilling could be most important.
- Employers’ motivations vary. Some genuinely expand training to address skill gaps; others highlight it as a recruitment advantage or to comply with regulations.
Why it matters:
As AI transforms jobs, training becomes a critical pathway for workers to acquire new skills. Yet the jobs most vulnerable to AI disruption are often the ones with the least advertised training, creating a potential gap in workforce adaptability.
Bottom line:
If you’re entering the workforce—or switching roles—look for employers who invest in training. It can be the difference between a job that just pays the bills and a role that helps you grow—and stay ahead in the AI era.