Transformative changes such as globalization, new forms of organizing work, and advances in automation and artificial intelligence (AI) have important implications for the world of work. This is everyone’s business: Governments, employers and workers all have a stake in skills development. Governments need to adopt more relevant skills policies to develop the skills required by rapidly evolving labour markets. Education and training systems will also need to take advantage of new educational technologies and give greater attention to digital skills.

Enterprises and employers will need to make new investments to expand their involvement in educating, training and the reskilling of workers to support economic growth. And, workers will need to proactively upgrade their skills or acquire new ones through training, education and lifelong learning to remain employable.

The ILO helps its constituents foster a smooth transition to the new realities of the future world of work by assisting in the development of skills policies and systems linked to labour market needs; anticipating and building competencies for the jobs of the future; and, supporting the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups in skills development.