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.
This is what 52,000 people think about the future of work
A new PwC survey about the future of work suggests the Great Resignation is set to continue - with pay a key driver for people moving roles - while hybrid working is here to stay.
Experiential learning and VR will reshape the future of education
Methods of education have not kept pace with advances in technology, including experiential learning and virtual reality (VR) but the imperative of change is becoming more apparent.
How playful learning helps children develop social and emotional skills
Children need social and emotional skills to navigate an uncertain and unstable world and playful learning is one of the most effective ways to do so.
Why a global skills passport can lead us towards a trust economy
Trust is in short supply on the jobs market – but a global skills passport could help both jobseekers and employers.
3 ways to improve education for working adults and fix the skills gap
A talent shortage is affecting economies globally and soon many workers will need reskilling. Improving education for working adults could be one solution.
‘Not just a science’: Vanderbilt University’s new major offers a new way to study climate change
A US university is introducing a new interdisciplinary major on climate change - the first time it's been treated as more than a pure STEM subject.
Why hiring platforms could be limiting the number of well-suited job applicants
Hiring platforms routinely screen out experienced candidates simply because they aren't college graduates, raising questions about prioritizing skills.
Reading to improve language skills? Focus on fiction rather than non-fiction
People who read fiction tend to have better language skills than non-fiction readers. Governments should rethink prioritizing sciences over humanities.
Investing in education could add $2.54 trillion to the global economy: 'Playful learning' is key
Taking a playful approach to education would help teach children vital skills for the future and could add $2.54 trillion to the global economy.
Catalysing Education 4.0: Investing in the Future of Learning for a Human-Centric Recovery
There is a unique window of opportunity to invest in Education 4.0: an approach to reimagining education in a way that is inclusive, focuses on a broad range of skills to prepare learners...
5 traits of the workforce of the future
MIT Sloan experts discuss five traits of the emerging workforce that can be harnessed for improved efficiency at work, including data and AI capabilities.
US public continues to view grades, test scores as top factors in college admissions
The way the US college admissions process currently works has been criticized by the country's schools and the Supreme Court. But what do Americans think?