White Paper

In today's dynamic world of work, the path to opportunity - for both individuals, and organizations - is changing. The short shelf life of skills and a tightening labor market are giving rise to a multitude of skill gaps. Businesses are fighting to stay ahead of the curve, trying to hold onto their best talent and struggling to fill key positions. Individuals are conscious of staying relevant in the age of automation. Enter the talent development function - the organizational leaders creating learning opportunities to enable employee growth and achievement. They have the ability to guide their organizations to success in tomorrow's labor market, but they can't do it alone. That's why we surveyed approximately 4,000 professionals globally on LinkedIn with the goal of providing a holistic view of modern workplace learning. Our research shows that today's talent developer is being asked to balance competing demands from executives, managers, and employees alike: They must play a critical role in shaping future workforce strategy, while delivering hyper-relevant content to support employee needs of today, and cater these vast efforts to a multi-generational workforce with varied learning preferences. To balance these competing demands, talent development leaders today are embracing the role of 'relationship builder' - cultivating the relationships that are the backbone of a learning culture that thrives in a workforce of constant change. Our research answers the talent developer's most pressing questions: (1) How are savvy talent development leaders adapting to the pace of change in today's dynamic world of work? (2) Why do employees demand learning and development resources, but don't make the time to learn? (3) How do executives think about learning and development? (4) Are managers the missing link to successful learning programs?

The aim of the report is to assess the contribution of the ESF to the objectives set out in the New Skills Agenda. The study addresses the following four questions: (1) How do ESF Operational Programmes tackle challenges and objectives identified by the New Skills Agenda, and to what extent is the ESF likely to contribute to achieving the main challenges/development needs in terms of skills development? (2) To what extent are Member States/Managing Authorities adapting ESF implementation to contribute to the New Skills Agenda? Are adjustments possible and made when needs change or new needs emerge? (3) What has been the actual contribution of the ESF to the New Skills Agenda to date in terms of achievements and implemented actions? (4) What are the main criticalities identified and what lessons can be drawn for the remainder of the programming period?

This report looks at a range of key labour market, economic and social indicators related to Canada’s growing Indigenous population, which comprises First Nations, Inuit and Métis. In 2016, there were over 1.6 million Indigenous People in Canada, accounting for 4.9% of the total population, which is a significant increase from 3.8% in 2006. The report looks at the implementation of the federal government’s Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Strategy through in-depth analysis across four case study areas, including 1) the Centre for Aboriginal Human Resources and Development in Winnipeg, Manitoba; 2) Community Futures Treaty Seven in Calgary, Alberta; 3) MAWIW Council in Fredericton, New Brunswick; and 4) Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services (KKETS) in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The report highlights critical success factors to better link Indigenous People to high quality jobs while also providing recommendations regarding future labour market and skills programming for Indigenous People in Canada.

The Welsh Government published the mid-programme evaluation report on the Skills gateway for Adults on 28 June 2018 to review the progress of the gateway for adults in terms of effectiveness and efficiency of the following objectives: Facilitating access to employment and skills support for individuals Identifying lessons to support the development Improvement of the service. Key findings conclude that the Skills gateway for Adults is meeting or exceeding outputs. The evaluation also makes recommendations for improvement.

Migration has been at the centre of political debate across the OECD in recent years. Drawing on data from the OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), this report provides new evidence on differences in migrants’ characteristics and contexts and considers how these relate to the skills migrants possess. It also examines the relationship between migrants’ skills and their labour and non-labour market outcomes in host countries. Finally, it sheds new light on how migrants’ skills are developed, used and valued in host country labour markets and societies. Results and lessons gleaned from analysis highlight the way forward for future research on this topic.The report represents an invaluable resource for policy makers across different sectors as they design and implement strategies aimed at promoting the long-term integration of foreign-born populations in the economic and social life of their countries. The analyses presented allow us to identify the skill composition of foreign-born populations, the labour market and broader social outcomes associated with such skills, and the factors that can promote skill acquisition and skill use.

This report checks in on an eight-year, five-site initiative launched by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in 2016. Called Generation Work, this initiative explores new ways of connecting young people — particularly youth of color — with the knowledge and experience necessary to succeed in today’s job market. Key takeaway: Generation Work is a unique initiative that equips young people, ages 18 to 29, with the skills and abilities that employers want and need. Equally important: It connects participants to emotional and motivational support — like mentoring programs — as well as work supports, such as transportation subsidies and child care. The end goal? Position young people to enter the local labor market and succeed.

Skill deficits are a major bottleneck in sustainable activation of the long-term unemployed. Those managing to get back to work often end up in less complex and skill-intensive jobs and have fewer opportunities to develop their potential. Those long-term unemployed not successful in making a transition to work are likely to face even more severe and complex skill deficits, among other problems. This report makes the case for a more forward-oriented, skills matching approach to activation that aims at sustainable labour market reintegration. Drawing on evidence and diverse practices from around Europe and the views of practitioners and experts, it presents approaches that put sustainable skills matching centre stage. The report shows how at different steps of the journey towards a job – engagement, programme interventions, and job placement, matching and follow-up – innovative principles, policies and tools can make the return to work of the long-term unemployed a long-lasting outcome.

The WorkAbility Queensland National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Training and Skills Support Strategy (NTSSS) Advice Project is providing strategic advice to industry and governments on matters related to the NDIS workforce in Queensland. This Training Package Advice Report outlines the findings of research and consultation that sought to identify where changes to the current range of nationally recognised training products might better support training and workforce development in the disability sector. The research and consultations identified that: many employers are not engaging in Vocational Education and Training (VET) and are placing more value on in-house and non-accredited training options for the sector, a worker’s values and attributes and their ‘fit’ with NDIS participants and families are considered to be more important than qualifications ‘soft skills’ (i.e. core skills for work/employability skills) play a vital role in effective support work and may not be adequately developed through current training products the diversity of participant support needs across the sector means that a diverse range of training products are needed to meet workforce skill development needs. New skill sets may help to provide this diversity. advice and recommendations should be provided to Skills IQ to help ensure that: o disability related qualifications better meet the skill and knowledge requirements of the NDIS environment o new job roles within the NDIS environment are acknowledged.

The pace of development in the digital, biological and technological worlds is changing and disrupting the way we work and live. From 3D printed buildings, to self-driving taxis, to vertical farming, every part of the UK economy will be affected by this ‘fourth industrial revolution’. Tomorrow’s innovative companies and organisations rely on people who can marry subject expertise with skills and knowledge from outside their individual specialisms, and who approach projects with creativity. In short, the companies leading this industrial revolution need design skills. Modern design is no longer confined to particular sectors or occupations. The skills, principles and practices of design are now widely used across the economy, from banking to retail. Designers, too, have always drawn on a range of different skills, tools and technologies to deliver new ideas, goods and services. This is what makes design unique, and is how it makes products, services and systems more useful, usable and desirable in advanced economies around the world.This unique research examines the skills that differentiate design from other sectors in the UK economy. It builds on our 2015 Design Economy study, which presented the first comprehensive analysis of the value that design adds to the UK economy. The design economy refers to the value created by those employed in design roles across a variety of industries – from design-intensive sectors, such as animation or graphics, to those working in sectors not always directly associated with design, such as automotive or aerospace companies. This is an unprecedented study which combines UK and US data to investigate the relationship between design skills and economic outcomes, focusing explicitly on productivity and innovation. It finds that where design skills are used, they contribute significantly to the wealth of the nation, greater productivity and more innovation. But it also provides a stark warning about the potential impact of underinvesting in these skills, and the need to better prepare for the economic, technological and political changes ahead.