The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has urged governments to make lifelong learning a central pillar of economic and social policy.

In a report, the ILO warned that without stronger investment in inclusive learning systems, the transformations risk widening inequalities between and within countries.

The ILO said this was crucial as digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the green transition, and demographic shifts are reshaping labour markets globally.

Director-General of the ILO, Gilbert Houngbo, who described lifelong learning as the bridge between today’s jobs and tomorrow’s opportunities, said it was 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.

The survey stated that as the world of work undergoes profound change, lifelong learning has significant implications for skills requirements.

The report finds that digital technologies, including AI, are changing how work is done, while the shift to environmentally sustainable economies is reshaping production systems and jobs.

It noted that at the same time, population ageing in many regions is placing greater demands on older workforces and increasing care needs.

The report showed that workers with less formal education, in informal jobs and/or smaller enterprises, predominantly
“learn by doing”. In contrast, others are more likely to learn from experienced colleagues and access structured training.

It highlighted the need for learning systems that better reflect how people gain skills throughout their working lives.

Beyond digital and green skills, the report found that focusing narrowly on technical skills was insufficient.

The ILO estimates that globally, 32 per cent of workers perform environmentally relevant tasks.
The report cautioned that jobs linked to the green transition are not automatically decent jobs.

It said that without the right mix of skills and policies, the new opportunities may not deliver improved working conditions.

The report also highlighted growing care needs, with the global need for long-term care workers expected to grow from 85 million in 2023 to 158 million by 2050.

It stated that many paid care workers still face poor working conditions, highlighting that skills are often undervalued and underpaid in sectors that provide crucial services for societies.

In acknowledging lifelong learning as a policy priority, the report calls for a comprehensive approach that extends beyond formal education to encompass learning and training opportunities in workplaces and across society as a whole.

According to the study, lifelong learning is about more than employability and productivity. It underpins decent work, genuine innovation, active citizenship, and social inclusion, making it a cornerstone of any effective strategy for sustainable growth and development.

It stated that in many countries, learning systems remained fragmented and chronically underfunded.

In high-income countries, it stressed that 34 per cent allocate less than one per cent of their public education budgets to adult learning and education, while in low-income countries, the figure climbs to 63 per cent.

It also highlighted the need for strong governance, coordination, financing and social dialogue.

Without decisive action, the report warns that the transformations shaping the future of work risk leaving large segments of the global workforce behind.