Our world is undergoing so much fundamental and disruptive change whether it be technological, organizational, demographic, climatic changes and these are presenting new challenges to the future of work. These global trends are having a profound impact on skills.
Many of today’s skills won’t match tomorrow’s jobs. And skills acquired today may quickly become obsolete. The concept of lifelong learning has been around for decades . The unprecedented transformation underway is redefining its terms and giving it new importance.
In the old days we could say let's go to school, get qualified for a job, enter the labour force and that is that. Today, we need people to learn how to learn because learning is going to be a feature of the transitions they're going to go through throughout their lives. Lifelong Learning affects us all.
It is central to managing the transitions we face over the life cycle, from early childhood and basic education to adult learning and upskilling and reskilling to take advantage of change. It is a global concept applying to developed and developing economies. It requires the active engagement and support of governments, employers and workers.
How do we adapt lifelong learning to our new reality? There’s no one size fits all strategy.
- Develop foundational and core work skills.
- Coherent and affordable financial and non-financial incentives.
- Improve vocational guidance and labour market data.
- Recognize both formal and informal skills learning.
- Improve coordination and ensure equitable access to learning.
Today, there is a renewed interest in lifelong learning. Ultimately, lifelong learning is the key for people to be able to benefit from new ways of working. And it will light the path on our journey to a brighter future of work.
