A new ILO report highlights the urgent need for governments to make lifelong learning a central pillar of economic and social policy as digitalization, artificial intelligence, the green transition, and demographic shifts reshape global labour markets. The report warns that without stronger investment in inclusive learning systems, these transformations risk widening inequalities both within and between countries.
ILO Director‑General Gilbert F. Houngbo emphasized that lifelong learning is not only about employability and productivity but also about supporting decent work, driving innovation, and building resilient societies. The report draws on worker surveys, vacancy analysis, and a review of 174 studies, showing that participation in structured training remains low, with only 16% of people aged 15 to 64 reporting involvement in the past year. Access is particularly unequal between formal and informal workers, and across education levels.
The findings reveal that workers with less formal education or in informal jobs often rely on “learning by doing,” while those in formal employment are more likely to access structured training. Employers increasingly seek combinations of skills, with digital and green competencies required alongside cognitive, socio‑emotional, and manual skills. Online vacancy data shows strong demand for communication, teamwork, and problem‑solving abilities, with socio‑emotional skills accounting for a large share of employer requests in many countries.
The report also notes that AI‑specific skills currently make up a small portion of demand, as many workers use ready‑made AI tools requiring foundational skills like digital literacy and critical thinking. It cautions that jobs linked to the green transition are not automatically decent jobs, and highlights the growing global need for long‑term care workers, which is expected to nearly double by 2050, despite poor working conditions in the sector.
To address these challenges, the ILO calls for comprehensive lifelong learning systems that extend beyond formal education to include workplace and community‑based opportunities. It stresses that lifelong learning underpins innovation, social inclusion, and sustainable growth, but current systems remain fragmented and underfunded. Many countries allocate less than 1% of education budgets to adult learning, with structural barriers in low‑income countries further limiting access.
The report concludes that governments, employers, and workers’ organizations must work together to expand access, strengthen training systems, and ensure policies fit people’s lives. Without decisive action, the transformations shaping the future of work risk leaving large segments of the global workforce behind.
