Lifelong learning must become a strategic policy priority, ILO warns | Report

As digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI), the green transition, and demographic shifts reshape labor markets worldwide, a new International Labour Organization (ILO) report urges governments to elevate lifelong learning to a central pillar of economic and social policy, according to a press release issued on 5 May 2026 from Geneva. The report, Lifelong learning and skills for the future, warns that without stronger investment in inclusive learning systems, these transformations risk widening inequalities between and within countries. It draws on new worker surveys, online vacancy analysis, institutional data, and a review of 174 studies on what works in training. The findings point to gaps that threaten to leave large segments of the global workforce behind. The ILO calls for decisive action to ensure learning systems reflect how people gain skills across their working lives.

The world of work is undergoing profound change, with significant implications for skills requirements. Digital technologies, including AI, are changing how work is done, while the shift to environmentally sustainable economies is reshaping production systems and jobs. Population ageing in many regions is placing greater demands on older workforces and increasing care needs. Only 16 per cent of people aged 15 to 64 reported taking part in structured training in the year before being interviewed, with little difference across countries. Among full-time, permanent workers in formal firms, 51 per cent received training from their employer.

A changing skills landscape

Workers with less formal education, in informal jobs and/or smaller enterprises predominantly “learn-by-doing,” while others are more likely to learn from experienced colleagues and access structured training. Employers across income levels increasingly seek combinations of digital, green, cognitive, socio-emotional, and manual skills. Socio-emotional skills alone account for more than half of those requested in Brazil, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates, and over 40 per cent in Egypt, Jordan, South Africa, and Uruguay. AI-specific skills remain a small share of demand, as many workers use ready-to-use AI tools that rely on digital literacy, critical thinking, and social abilities. The ILO estimates that 32 per cent of workers globally perform environmentally relevant tasks.

The report also highlights growing care needs, with the global demand for long-term care workers expected to grow from 85 million in 2023 to 158 million by 2050, while many paid care workers still face poor working conditions.

“Lifelong learning is the bridge between today’s jobs and tomorrow’s opportunities. It is not only about employability and productivity, but also about supporting decent work, driving true innovation and building resilient societies, making it a central element of any successful strategy for sustainable growth and development,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo.

The report cautions that jobs linked to the green transition are not automatically decent jobs. Without the right mix of skills and policies, new opportunities may not deliver improved working conditions. Skills remain often undervalued and underpaid in sectors providing crucial services.

Lifelong learning as a policy priority

In many countries, learning systems remain fragmented and chronically underfunded. Even in high-income countries, 34 per cent allocate less than 1 per cent of their public education budgets to adult learning and education, while in low-income countries that figure climbs to 63 per cent. High-income countries generally benefit from more developed institutional frameworks, yet face poor coordination between institutions and unequal access to learning opportunities. In lower-income countries, structural barriers such as limited financing and inadequate infrastructure further constrain the reach and effectiveness of learning systems. The report calls on governments, employers’ organizations, and workers’ organizations to broaden access to learning, strengthen training systems, and advance lifelong learning policies supported by strong governance, coordination, financing, and social dialogue.