ILO Workshop at the Global Lifelong Learning Summit: Micro-credentials promoting lifelong learning and careers

The world of work is undergoing a substantial transformation due to new forces. In particular, technological advances, such as AI, automation and robotics, have produced numerous new opportunities, but also given rise to urgent challenges. While new jobs are constantly being created with the emergence of the digital economy, many jobs are at risk of becoming obsolete. Digital innovations will rapidly change the demand for skills, thereby creating a wider skills gap that has the potential to hold back economic growth. Equipping people with basic or advanced digital skills promises to prepare them for unprecedented job opportunities in the digital economy. This will lead to innovation, higher productivity and competitiveness, as well as expanding markets, access to work and entrepreneurship opportunities. 

There is a critical need for a greater overall investment in education and training, particularly in developing countries. Education and training investments should be closely linked to economic and employment growth strategies and programmes. Responsibility should be shared between the government (primary responsibility), enterprises, the social partners, and the individual. To make lifelong learning for all a reality, countries will need to make major reforms of their vocational and education and training systems. School-to-work schemes for young people should integrate education with workplace learning. Training systems need to become more flexible and responsive to rapidly changing skill requirements. Reforms should also focus on how learning can be facilitated, not just on training for specific occupational categories.

The growing demand for care work will continue to create a large number of jobs in the coming years. To build a care sector that benefits care workers, care recipients and society overall, governments should take crucial steps regarding the nature and provision of care policies and services, and the terms and conditions of care work. This must include creating a comprehensive system for training, skills development and skills recognition, ensuring that workers are able to meet emerging care needs.

Most young people around the world do not have the chance to attend formal institutions of learning. The capacity of formal education and training systems is often limited due to inadequate training infrastructures and the relatively high costs of full-time, centre-based training. Consequently, large numbers of youth are learning and then working in the informal economy. 

Informal apprenticeship systems that transmit the skills of a trade to a young person in a micro- or small enterprise have operated for generations in many countries. They are considered by far the most important source of skills training in Africa and South Asia.

Women and men in the informal economy often do not possess a formal proof of their skills. Skills acquired informally are not visible and hence are often not recognized by employers. Transitions to the formal labour market can also be facilitated if skills are assessed and recognized. Systems of Recognition of Prior Learning are being introduced by countries to offer access to further learning or to formal labour markets.