America Succeeds sought a clear understanding of the specific durable skills that employers value most, since traditional indicators of workforce readiness were no longer capturing the abilities that determine long-term success in modern roles. The organization needed concrete labor market evidence to demonstrate how skills like communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and problem solving appear across job requirements and across industries. Lightcast examined millions of job postings to measure the frequency of these competencies, identify shared patterns across sectors, and clarify how durable skills function as core expectations for both entry-level and experienced workers.

The results provided America Succeeds with a structured and data-informed view of the skills that matter most in today’s labor market. These insights helped the organization guide discussions with education leaders and policymakers, support curriculum planning, and encourage the development of learning experiences that more closely match employer needs. By grounding its advocacy in measurable labor market trends, America Succeeds strengthened its ability to promote skills-based approaches that improve the connection between education and career outcomes.