Over the past 30 years, economies and markets have become more integrated and inter-dependent, as trade volumes have grown and developing economies have industrialized. This study identifies forces of demand and supply that are shaping a global labour force that is predicted to grow to 3.5 billion by 2030. The paper documents these shifts and analyses the implications for workers, national economies, and businesses. It concludes that the forces that have caused imbalances in advanced economies in recent years will grow stronger and that similar mismatches between the skills that workers can offer and what employers need will appear in developing economies, too. Avoiding these imbalances (in both advanced and developing economies) and their consequences will require an unprecedented commitment to education and training.