A recent study discovered that foundational skills are essential building blocks for advanced careers, highlighting the importance of basic education in reducing wage inequality and improving career mobility.
In today’s complex labor market, mastering foundational skills is more crucial than ever for advancing in one’s career. A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour has mapped the dependency relationships between workplace skills, revealing a nested structure where advanced skills build on the mastery of broader, more fundamental abilities.
Leveraging data from millions of job transitions and U.S. workplace surveys, the research found that many professions require a sequence of skill acquisitions, much like ecological succession. For example, computer programmers need a solid foundation in basic mathematics, and nurses must gain clinical experience before advancing to specialized training.
“We found that many skills aren’t just complementary — they’re interdependent in a directional way, acting as prerequisites for others, snowballing layer over layer to get to more specialized knowledge,” lead author Moh Hosseinioun, a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University, said in a news release.
The study investigates how classifications of blue-collar and white-collar jobs emerge, illustrating that specialized knowledge-based work often requires extensive time investments, while physical labor skills are more frequently acquired on the job.
Corresponding author Hyejin Youn, a Santa Fe Institute external professor from Seoul National University, explained the significance by making an analogy with ecological systems.
“It’s like a succession model in ecology — acquiring complex skills requires a sequence of prerequisites,” she said in the news release, comparing the cognitive development to a mental ecosystem where basic educational skills lay the groundwork for higher-order reasoning.
“Advanced problem-solving — like solving partial differential equations — first depends on mastering arithmetic, understanding mathematical notation and grasping logical principles,” she added. “Basic educational skills are the cognitive equivalent of early organisms, creating the conditions in the mental ecosystem for higher-order reasoning to emerge, and are essential for developing the advanced skills that can lead to higher wage premiums.”
This nested structure has substantial implications for wage inequality and career mobility, especially in increasingly complex job markets.
“The more we become specialized and nested, the more inequality and disparity across the labor market will occur,” added Youn.
The study reveals that while foundational skills are crucial for developing advanced, higher-paying skills, this requirement also creates barriers to entry for those unable to access basic education. This suggests a pressing need for policy interventions to address potential increases in job polarization and inequality.
Moreover, the study suggests that “reskilling” programs might be less effective unless they incorporate fundamental skill development. Additionally, universities that cut foundational courses in favor of directly applicable skills could inadvertently harm graduates’ long-term career prospects.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, its role in acquiring fundamental skills is also questioned.
“Large language models are unprecedented in how they target fundamental skills,” Hosseinioun added. “Is this an opportunity, where some of the layers of the hierarchy might be condensed? Or, if we outsource those fundamental skills, will we become unable to learn more advanced skills?”
Ultimately, the research highlights a critical aspect of our modern economy: as the need for specialized skills grows, societal and economic systems are shaped in ways that could increasingly constrain individual career paths and amplify disparities.
The study’s findings emphasize the importance of foundational skills in navigating career landscapes and achieving economic mobility. They caution that without addressing these underlying issues, wage inequality and job market polarization are likely to increase.
Source: Santa Fe Institute