In 2020, the global workforce lost an equivalent of 255 million full-time jobs, an estimated $3.7 trillion in wages and 4.4% of global GDP, a staggering toll on lives and livelihoods. While vaccine rollout has begun and the growth outlook is predicted to improve, an even socio-economic recovery is far from certain.
The choices made by policymakers, business leaders, workers and learners today will shape societies for years to come. At this critical crossroads, leaders must consciously, proactively and urgently lay the foundations of a new social contract, rebuilding our economies so they provide opportunity for all.
In this context, the Forum remains committed to working with the public- and private sectors to provide better skills, jobs and education to 1 billion people by 2030 through initiatives to close the skills gap and prepare for the ongoing technological transformation of the future of work.
Successful AI implementation should be as human as humanly possible
The deployment of AI in the recruitment sector shows how the technology can facilitate richer human-to-human collaboration.
In the age of AI, human skills are the new advantage
In the AI era, we need a new model for teaching students the skills they once acquired through a liberal arts education. Experience should form the foundation of that new model.
Skills development is critical to bridging the global digital talent gap
By prioritizing skills development and putting technology into the hands of everyone, we can build a more inclusive, dynamic and future-ready workforce.
Beyond the inflection point: The new forces shaping the transformation of work
The emergence of systemic weaknesses in the global labour market is also a critical opportunity to rethink the future of work and skills development.
From classrooms to global impact: how Kerala built an inclusive startup ecosystem
Home to over 6,500 registered startups, many in rural areas, Kerala's burgeoning startup ecosystem is one of the most inclusive in the world.
Buy now, pay later: How financial education can break the debt trap
Innovative financial products like buy now, pay later (BNPL) can offer flexibility. But more innovation and access must be combined with financial education.
Why AI literacy is now a core competency in education
A new AI Literacy Framework (AILit) aims to empower learners to navigate an AI-integrated world with confidence and purpose. Here's what you need to know.
Netflix’s 'Adolescence' spotlights the crisis of boyhood. Scouting is part of the solution
The TV drama Adolescence highlighted the mental health crisis facing many boys and young men across the world. Here's how Scouting can help provide a solution.
How agentic AI can drive workforce transformation
Employers of the future must develop knowledge-first workforces and replace legacy management with workforce transformation strategies and agentic AI.
Why Indonesia’s green jobs initiative and vocational training revival matter now
How Indonesia's green jobs initiative and vocational training revamp are tackling high employment among graduates of the country's vocational schools.
Debating Education
From integrating next-generation technologies into curricula to addressing national perceptions of cultural issues, education is at a pivotal moment in ensuring that it adequately trains ...
How Japan is bridging its learning gaps to ensure education is fully democratic
After the pandemic exposed disparities in Japan's education system, the country's public and private sector are currently trying to plug the gaps.