AS DIGITALIZATION and artificial intelligence (AI), the green transition, and demographic shifts reshape labour markets worldwide, a new report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has called on governments to raise lifelong learning to a central pillar of economic and social policy.
Drawing on new worker surveys, online vacancy analysis, institutional data and a review of 174 studies on what works in training, the report: Lifelong learning and skills for the future, warns that without stronger investment in inclusive learning systems, these transformations risk widening inequalities between and within countries.
“Lifelong learning is the bridge between today’s jobs and tomorrow’s opportunities. It is not only about employability and productivity, but also about supporting decent work, driving true innovation and building resilient societies, making it a central element of any successful strategy for sustainable growth and development,” said ILO Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo.
A changing skills landscape across countries risks widening inequalities
As the world of work undergoes profound change, this has significant implications for skills requirements. Digital technologies, including AI, are changing how work is done, while the shift to environmentally sustainable economies is reshaping production systems and jobs. At the same time, population ageing in many regions is placing greater demands on older workforces and increasing care needs.
Only 16 per cent of people aged 15 to 64 reported that they took part in structured training in the year prior to being interviewed, with little difference across countries. Among full-time, permanent workers in formal firms, participation is higher, with 51 per cent receiving training from their employer. This gap shows clear inequalities in access to learning, especially between formal and informal workers and across education levels.
The report shows that workers with less formal education, in informal jobs and/or smaller enterprises predominantly “learn-by-doing”, while others are more likely to learn from experienced colleagues and access structured training. This highlights the need for learning systems that better reflect how people gain skills throughout their working lives.
Beyond digital and green skills
A key finding of the report is that focusing narrowly on technical skills is not sufficient.
Across countries at different income levels, employers increasingly seek combinations of skills. Digital and green competencies are important, but they are often required alongside foundational cognitive, socio-emotional and manual skills. Workers with these “rounded” skill profiles are more likely to access jobs with higher wages and improved working conditions.
Original ILO analysis of online vacancy data shows strong demand for a mix of digital, communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. Socio-emotional skills alone account for more than half of those requested in countries like Brazil, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates, for example, and over 40 per cent in Egypt, Jordan, South Africa, and Uruguay. Cognitive and technical skills are also widely in demand.
For now, AI-specific skills only make up a small share of overall skills demand. This demand is expected to grow but it also reflects the fact that many workers use ready-to-use AI tools that don’t require specialist knowledge. Instead, they rely on strong foundational skills like digital literacy, critical thinking, and social abilities.
The ILO estimates that globally, 32 per cent of workers perform environmentally relevant tasks. The report cautions that jobs linked to the green transition are not automatically decent jobs. Without the right mix of skills and policies, these new opportunities may not deliver improved working conditions.
The report also highlights growing care needs, with the global need for long-term care workers expected to grow from 85 million in 2023 to 158 million by 2050. Yet many paid care workers still face poor working conditions, highlighting that skills are often undervalued and underpaid in sectors that provide crucial services for societies.
Lifelong learning as a policy priority
The report calls for a comprehensive approach to lifelong learning, one that extends beyond formal education to encompass learning and training opportunities in workplaces and across society as a whole.
Lifelong learning is about more than employability and productivity. It underpins decent work, genuine innovation, active citizenship, and social inclusion, making it a cornerstone of any effective strategy for sustainable growth and development.
Yet in many countries, learning systems remain fragmented and chronically underfunded. Even in high-income countries, 34 per cent allocate less than 1 per cent of their public education budgets to adult learning and education. In low-income countries, that figure climbs to 63 per cent.
High-income countries generally benefit from more developed institutional frameworks, but significant challenges persist, including poor coordination between institutions and unequal access to learning opportunities. In lower-income countries, structural barriers such as limited financing and inadequate infrastructure further constrain the reach and effectiveness of learning systems.
Governments, employers’ organizations and workers’ organizations all have a role to play. The report calls for broader and more equal access to learning, stronger training systems, and lifelong learning policies that better fit people’s lives. It also highlights the need for strong governance, coordination, financing and social dialogue. Without decisive action, the report warns, the transformations shaping the future of work risk leaving large segments of the global workforce behind. (ILO News)
