Galway, Ireland - 2026-02-20
Alison is making its mark across the Americas, as over 15 million Learners turn to the free online learning platform for skills development and career growth. This comes at a time when skills shortages are a growing concern for future generations. Across North, Central, and South America, there is a widening gap between the skills employers need and those available in the workforce.
In the U.S., it’s amplified by a large wave of retirements that drains experience faster than younger workers can replace it, while in Central and South America, the pressure comes more from skills mismatches, uneven access to training, and high levels of informal work that can limit job-ready development.
In both cases, the result is the same: organisations struggle to hire and promote fast enough, and individuals who upskill quickly are best positioned to step into new roles. Scalable, flexible, and free online learning is emerging as a practical solution across the continent.
The U.S. Retirement Wave Is Creating an Urgent Skills Replacement Crisis
The United States is entering a period of significant workforce transition. According to the Georgetown University Centre on Education and Workforce, between 2024 and 2032, an estimated 18.4 million experienced workers will retire, while only 13.8 million younger workers with similar levels of education are expected to replace them. At the same time, the economy is projected to create an additional 685,000 jobs requiring education or training beyond high school.
By 2033, the U.S. population aged 16 and older is expected to grow by 16.4 million (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) – roughly 5 million fewer than the previous decade’s growth. This slower workforce expansion, combined with rising demand in areas such as cybersecurity, software development, IT management, and network architecture, intensifies competition for qualified talent.
For individuals like Vernon Maxwell, this creates opportunity. Vernon, an Alison Learner from the United States, used Alison’s free courses in Operations Management, Inventory Management, Aggregate Planning, and Quality Management to reposition his career. He secured a supervisor role at a global telecommunications company and doubled his salary, demonstrating how targeted upskilling can directly translate into measurable career outcomes.
To support this shift, Alison provides not only workplace-ready courses in high-growth fields such as cybersecurity, software development, IT management and computer architecture, but also practical career tools including:
Aptitude Tests to identify strengths and areas for development
A Resumé Builder to present skills professionally
A Career Ready Plan to map learning towards in-demand roles
These free tools help Learners move from education to employment with clarity and confidence.
Central and South America: Bridging Skills Mismatches and Access Gaps
In Central and South America, the pressure is different but equally urgent.
Many countries face persistent skills mismatches, unequal access to quality training, and high levels of informal employment, all of which limit structured professional development.
According to the Inter-American Development Bank, nearly half of workers in Latin America operate in the informal economy, often without access to employer-sponsored training. Meanwhile, employers report difficulty finding candidates with job-ready technical and operational skills.
Free, flexible online learning removes key barriers like cost, geography, and scheduling, allowing individuals to upskill on their own terms.
Sophia Gomez from Mexico illustrates this pathway. Despite holding a Chemical Engineering degree, she struggled to secure suitable employment after graduating. With limited financial resources, she enrolled in Alison’s Environmental Health and Safety course. Combined with her degree, this additional certification helped her secure a role at a German automotive plant. She describes Alison as providing “free high-quality learning education” that made a tangible difference in her career progression.
Sophia’s experience reflects a broader trend: degrees alone are no longer always sufficient. Layering practical, industry-aligned certifications onto existing qualifications can significantly improve employability.
Alison’s expansion into Spanish-translated courses further supports accessibility, ensuring that language is not a barrier to workforce participation across Latin America.
From Skills Development to Employment Outcomes
As demand for qualified talent intensifies, the ability to learn quickly and apply skills immediately becomes a competitive advantage.
Alison’s ecosystem supports this journey through:
Free Certificate and Diploma courses in high-demand sectors
Psychometric Assessments (Workplace Personality, Mental Wellbeing, and Aptitude Tests)
An integrated Resumé Builder
Offline learning through the Alison App
A forthcoming Global Recruitment Service connecting Learners with employers
With over 15 million Learners across North, Central, and South America choosing Alison, free online learning is increasingly positioned not as supplementary education, but as infrastructure for workforce resilience.
As retirements accelerate in the north and access gaps persist in the south, one reality binds the continent: those who build the most relevant skills the fastest will shape the next phase of economic growth.
Ends
Resources
To help Learners respond to growing workforce demand, Alison provides free, CPD-accredited Certificate and Diploma courses in high-growth sectors, including Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Software Development, IT Management, and Computer Network Architecture. Alison also highlights Graduate testimonials that showcase how Learners have turned new skills into promotions, career changes, and stronger earning potential, reinforcing the real-world impact of accessible, workplace-focused learning.
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About Alison
Alison is a global leader in free online learning and skills development. With over 50 million registered Learners across 193 countries (as of October 2025), Alison empowers individuals, communities, and organisations to upskill quickly and effectively – at zero cost.
The Alison platform provides immediate access to over 6,000 free, CPD-accredited courses, covering essential areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Project Management, Business Operations, Healthcare and Sustainability. Courses are created by a mix of independent experts and global leaders, including IBM, Stanford and Microsoft.
For organisations, Alison offers a Free Learning Management System (LMS) that enables unlimited Learners to access thousands of courses with no upfront cost. A premium version with advanced analytics and customisation is also available. Alison's offering includes a full suite of assessments and psychometric tools, including a Workplace Personality Assessment, Mental Health & Wellbeing Assessment, English Language Proficiency Test, as well as Numeracy, Verbal, and Abstract Reasoning tests.
To further support career development, Learners also gain access to a Career Guide, a Resumé Builder, and the ability to study offline through the Alison App.
In 2026, Alison will launch a Global Recruitment Service to directly connect skilled, motivated Learners with hiring employers. The platform is also expanding its reach with multilingual versions, starting with complete Spanish, French, and Hindi offerings — reaffirming its mission to make education accessible to anyone, anywhere.
Founded in 2007, Alison pioneered the concept of free, large-scale online learning and is recognised as the world’s first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platform. Today, its mission continues: to break down barriers to learning, helping people gain skills, build confidence, and improve their lives — no matter where they live or what they earn.
