White Paper

How nations develop their human capital can be a more important determinant of their long-term success than virtually any other factor. The Global Human Capital Index 2017 ranks 130 countries on how well they are developing their human capital on a scale from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) across four thematic dimensions and five distinct age groups to capture the full human capital potential profile of a country. It aims to be used as a tool to assess progress within countries and point to opportunities for cross-country learning and exchange.

This White Paper is the outcome of an international, UK Dialogue Series organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) 's System Initiative on Shaping the Future of Education, Gender and Work. The goal of the Dialogue Series has been to bring together leaders to develop a common vision on emerging issues. As a key output of the learning created by the discussion, this White Paper draws upon submissions by leaders and experts who engaged in the dialogue, as well as the latest thinking from international organizations, think tanks, businesses and other stakeholders. It provides a common narrative on the new context for emerging issues, identifies priorities for leaders, and supports the development of policy roadmaps.

The way people work, the skills they need to thrive in their jobs and the trajectories of their careers are rapidly evolving. These changes are significantly altering the skills required by the labour market. Continuous learning lies at the heart of thriving in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. While the skills required for most jobs are changing quickly, adult education and training systems are lagging behind. While 35 percent of the skills demanded for jobs across industries will change by 2020, at least one in four workers in OECD countries is already reporting a skills mismatch with regards to the skills demanded by their current jobs. This white paper argues that, in order to create a robust and inclusive adult education and training system, leaders from across business, government and civil society need to start laying a common foundation through strategic and coordinated action. The paper lays out key pathways for change and illustrates successful examples of implementation to inspire broad-based transformation. The paper is the outcome of an international, multi-stakeholder dialogue series organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF). It draws upon submissions by leaders and experts who engaged in the dialogue and the latest thinking from a range of organisations.

Digital connectivity enabled by the software technologies is changing the society fundamentally. The scale of the impact and the speed of the changes taking place have made the shift so different from any other industrial revolutions in human history. The Global Agenda Council on the Future of Software and Society conducted a survey of 800 executives to fully capture when would these game-changing technologies breaking into the public domain to a significant degree, and the implication of these shifts to individual, organizations, government and society. It is clear through navigating the 21 dazzling technology shifts that the world will function quite differently 10 to 15 years from now. We hope that the report will provide some key insights to consider and trigger more broad discussion around the impact of technology, and how can we be better prepared for the changes to come. This report is the first of its kind – one aimed at trying to capture some of the deep shifts occurring in society as a result of software and services, and to encourage everyone to think about the impact of these changes on our society and how to prepare for the changes ahead."

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is interacting with other socio-economic and demographic factors to create a perfect storm of business model change in all industries, resulting in major disruptions to labour markets. New categories of jobs will emerge, partly or wholly displacing others. The skill sets required in both old and new occupations will change in most industries and transform how and where people work. It may also affect female and male workers differently and transform the dynamics of the industry gender gap. The Future of Jobs Report aims to unpack and provide specific information on the relative magnitude of these trends by industry and geography, and on the expected time horizon for their impact to be felt on job functions, employment levels and skills

As policy-makers search for ways to reduce poverty and income inequality, and to achieve sustainable income growth they are being encouraged to focus on an emerging challenge to health, well-being and development: non-communicable diseases (NCDs). After all, 63% of all deaths worldwide currently stem from NCDs – chiefly cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. These deaths are distributed widely among the world’s population – from high income to low-income countries and from young to old (about one-quarter of all NCD deaths occur below the age of 60, amounting to approximately 9 million deaths per year). NCDs have a large impact, undercutting productivity and boosting healthcare outlays. Moreover, the number of people affected by NCDs is expected to rise substantially in the coming decades, reflecting an ageing and increasing global population. With this in mind, the United Nations is holding its first High-Level Meeting on NCDs on 19-20 September 2011 – this is only the second time that a high-level UN meeting is being dedicated to a health topic (the first time being on HIV/AIDS in 2001). Over the years, much work has been done estimating the human toll of NCDs, but work on estimating the economic toll is far less advanced. In this report, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Harvard School of Public Health try to inform and stimulate further debate by developing new estimates of the global economic burden of NCDs in 2010, and projecting the size of the burden through 2030. Three distinct approaches are used to compute the economic burden: (1) the standard cost of illness method; (2) macroeconomic simulation and (3) the value of a statistical life. This report includes not only the four major NCDs (the focus of the UN meeting), but also mental illness, which is a major contributor to the burden of disease worldwide. This evaluation takes place in the context of enormous global health spending, serious concerns about already strained public finances and worries about lacklustre economic growth. The report also tries to capture the thinking of the business community about the impact of NCDs on their enterprises

This white paper presents various possible visions of what the future of work might look like by the year 2030. Based on how different combinations of three core variables—the rate of technological change and its impact on business models; the evolution of learning among the current and future workforce; and the magnitude of talent mobility across geographies—are likely to influence the nature of work in the future, the White Paper provides a starting point for considering a range of options around the multiple possible futures of work. It is imperative that governments, businesses, academic institutions and individuals consider how to proactively shape a new, positive future of work—one that we want rather than one created through inertia. Accordingly, while the scenarios presented in this White Paper are designed to create a basis for discussion among policymakers, businesses, academic institutions and individuals, they are not predictions. Instead, they are a practical tool to help identify and prioritize key actions that are likely to promote the kind of future that maximizes opportunities for people to fulfil their full potential across their lifetimes.

Machine learning applications are already being used to make many life-changing decisions – such as who qualifies for a loan, and whether someone is released from prison. A new model is needed to govern how those developing and deploying machine learning can address the human rights implications of their products. This paper offers comprehensive recommendations on ways to integrate principles of non-discrimination and empathy into machine learning systems. This White Paper was written as part of the ongoing work by the Global Future Council on Human Rights; a group of leading academic, civil society and industry experts providing thought leadership on the most critical issues shaping the future of human rights.

Education and work in Sub-Saharan Africa will determine the livelihoods of nearly a billion people in the region and drive growth and development for generations to come. As one of the youngest populations in the world, it is imperative that adequate investments are made in education and learning that holds value in the labour market and prepares citizens for the world of tomorrow. In addition, as the global transformation of work unfolds in Africa, policymakers, business leaders and workers must be prepared to proactively manage this period of transition. At the World Economic Forum, we seek to support leaders and the public by sharing the latest insights on the changes underway. This Executive Briefing on the Future of Jobs and Skills in Africa uses the latest available data, including through a research partnership with LinkedIn, to provide a concise overview of the region’s education, skills and jobs agenda. In addition to providing insights on current trends and future projections, the World Economic Forum also aims to provide a platform for multi-stakeholder collaboration to close skills gaps and prepare for the future of work. The Africa Skills Initiative serves as such a platform, consolidating the latest insights, bringing together different businesses’ efforts to address future-oriented skills development and supporting constructive public-private dialogue for urgent and fundamental reform of education systems and labour policies to prepare workforces for the future of jobs. This Executive Briefing is intended as a practical guide for leaders from business, government, civil society and the education sector to plan for the needs of the future, including those involved in the Africa Skills Initiative. It is also a call to action to the region’s leaders to address urgently the reforms that are needed today to ensure that Africa’s young people can harness the new opportunities that are coming their way.