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According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, 59% of the global workforce will require upskilling or reskilling by 2030. During the same period, an estimated 170 million new jobs will be created while 92 million existing jobs could disappear as economies adapt to technological, demographic and environmental change.

For Public Employment Services, this presents a significant challenge. How can employment services help workers stay employable when the skills required for success are evolving faster than ever?

The latest ILO World of Work report on lifelong learning and skills for the future offers an important answer. The research shows that demographic shifts, the green transition and digitalisation are all transforming skills demand simultaneously. Success in this new labour market will depend not only on technical expertise, but on workers’ ability to continuously learn and adapt throughout their careers.

The most valuable skills are no longer purely technical

One of the report’s most important findings is that employers increasingly value combinations of skills rather than individual competencies.

Across eight countries studied by the ILO, cognitive and socio emotional skills consistently ranked among the most demanded capabilities in job vacancies. Skills such as problem solving, communication, teamwork and adaptability are becoming essential across occupations and industries. The strongest labour market outcomes were linked to workers who could combine these skills with technical and digital capabilities. This trend is visible across all major labour market transitions.

As populations age, demand for care workers is expected to rise sharply. Yet the report highlights a persistent challenge: many of the socio emotional skills required in care occupations remain undervalued despite their growing importance. Better recognition, certification and investment in these skills will be critical to addressing future workforce shortages. The green transition is creating similar pressures. OECD research estimates that around one in five workers is employed in occupations that are likely to expand because of the transition to net zero economies. However, green jobs require far more than environmental expertise. Workers increasingly need a blend of technical, cognitive and interpersonal skills that allow them to adapt as industries evolve.

Digital transformation tells a similar story. While artificial intelligence continues to dominate headlines, the ILO report finds that digital literacy, critical thinking, problem solving and people management skills remain essential for helping workers adapt to technological change.

For Public Employment Services, the message is clear. Workforce resilience depends on helping people build broad and adaptable skill portfolios rather than preparing them for a single occupation.

Lifelong learning systems must become more accessible and responsive

Despite growing demand for skills, access to learning opportunities remains uneven. The ILO’s lifelong learning surveys found that barriers such as cost, lack of time, limited information and inflexible training formats continue to prevent many people from participating in training. Workers with lower education levels and those in informal employment are particularly affected, often relying on informal learning rather than structured development opportunities.

The report also found that the most effective programmes combine technical, cognitive and socio emotional skills development with workplace experience. Career guidance, employer engagement and coordinated support services further improve employment outcomes. Women, in particular, benefit significantly from these integrated approaches. This aligns closely with OECD recommendations that call for stronger systems to anticipate emerging skills needs and connect labour market intelligence with training provision, career guidance and employment support.

For Public Employment Services, this creates an opportunity to play a more strategic role. By combining labour market intelligence, skills assessment, career guidance and personalised learning pathways, PES can help workers navigate transitions before skills gaps become barriers to employment.

As labour markets continue to evolve, the ability to identify emerging skills needs and connect individuals with relevant opportunities will become increasingly important. Solutions such as WorkNetix help Public Employment Services bring these capabilities together, enabling more effective skills matching, personalised employment journeys and data driven workforce planning.

Learn more about WorkNetix: https://www.wcc-group.com/worknetix/