Accelerating workforce reskilling for the fourth industrial revolution: An agenda for leaders to shape the future of education

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.