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The Skillability Index

Data-Driven Diagnostics to Advance SkillsBased Practices

By:
 
Henry Woodyard
Henry Woodyard
 
Yustina Saleh, Ph.D.
Yustina Saleh, Ph.D.
 
Berk Idem
Berk Idem
 
Gwynn Guilford
Gwynn Guilford
January 2026
The Skillability Index

Despite a clear business case for skills-based practices, including 20% higher retention and 25% salary increases for workers, most organizations struggle to translate policy into practice due to a lack of measurement tools. To address this challenge, we’ve created the “Skillability Index”, a tool to address this barrier by evaluating organizations across three critical phases: posting practices (recruitment), hiring practices, and career growth (advancement). This dual focus ensures that companies not only help non-degree talent "get on the ladder" by removing unnecessary credentials but also allow them to "move up the ladder" through meaningful internal mobility.

The research reveals striking variances in performance, even among direct competitors in the same industry. To help organizations contextualize their progress, the Index categorizes firms into archetypes based on their results. For example, "Skills Champions" show high alignment between degree removal and actual non-degree hiring, while "Quiet Reformers" hire non-degree talent at high rates despite maintaining traditional job postings. Conversely, "Front-Door Employers" excel at initial hiring but struggle to promote those employees, creating a "glass ceiling" for those without degrees.

To learn more, and see trends for specific industries and metrics, download our report below.

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