Accelerating Workforce Reskilling for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The way we work, the skills we need to thrive in our jobs and the trajectories of our careers are rapidly evolving. These changes—driven by technological innovation, demographics, shifting business models and nature of work—are significantly altering the skills demanded by the labour market. Over one in four adults surveyed in the OECD reported a mismatch between their current skills and the qualifications required for their jobs. Furthermore, approximately 35% of the skills demanded for jobs across industries will change by 2020. Such skills mismatches and skills churn have increased the need for adult skilling, reskilling and upskilling throughout a person’s career. By making the appropriate investments for optimizing the potential of the adult workforce at all stages of the career path, companies and societies can reap the benefits of productive, innovative and experienced employees who continue to adapt and deliver over time.