The Future of Skills: Preparing the Workforce for the Jobs of Tomorrow

My aim today is to explore the evolving skills landscape and discuss how individuals and organisations can prepare for future jobs. I will emphasise the importance of ongoing learning, upskilling, and reskilling, and offer insights on how to develop the skills necessary for success in the future world of work. 

I will proceed by addressing the following four questions:

• What is the future of work?
• What are the skills needed for tomorrow?
• What can governments and organisations do?
• What can we do as individuals?

And then hopefully pull it together so it all makes sense.

The future of work?

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report, approximately 170 million new jobs are expected to be created this decade. These new jobs account for 14% of current employment, but they are offset by 92 million displaced roles, resulting in a net employment increase of 78 million jobs.

Globally, the labour market is being reshaped through technological development, the transition to green technologies, economic challenges (such as the cost-of-living crisis), and demographic shifts as populations age and birthrates decline.

So, in this rapidly changing global landscape, what can governments, organisations, and we as individuals do to stay relevant, keep our skills up to date, and ensure we have the skills needed for tomorrow?

I don’t doubt the opportunities are there – I simply wonder how available and accessible those opportunities will be to the majority, especially the everyday person on the street. How can we ensure that large parts of our society are not left behind or trampled on in the generative and agentic AI gold rush, for example? 

How might our governments need to respond to ensure equal opportunities – so that everyone can learn, earn, and thrive in the workplace of tomorrow?

So that no one is left drowning in a sea of opportunity.

The skills of tomorrow  

According to the World Economic Forum, on average, workers can expect that two-fifths (39%) of their current skill sets will be transformed or become outdated between 2025 and 2030. However, this measure of “skill instability” has decreased compared to earlier reports, dropping from a peak of 57% in 2020 to 44% in 2023, during the pandemic. This could be partly due to a rising proportion of workers (50%) who have completed training, reskilling, or upskilling measures, up from 41% in the 2023 edition of the report.

I am curious about these reskilling and upskilling measures. What are organisations doing? What is your organisation doing?

I would expect skills to evolve, as most of us would; though I’d like to know how much of this ‘skill instability’ is due to the explosive arrival of generational AI and the incoming, agentic AI. Has it accelerated the rate of skill instability, and if so, will it always be possible for people to outrun it?

And I am intrigued to read that some of the fastest-growing jobs include:

• Farmworkers, labourers and other agricultural workers
• Building framers, finishers and related trades workers
• Software application developers
• These appear at the top of the list of the fifteen fastest-growing jobs.
• Car, van and motorcycle drivers
• Nursing professionals

Appear in the middle of the list.

Secondary education teachers and personal care aides appear at the bottom of the list, and overall, I’m struck by how many of these roles involve more people-facing or manual work. Generative AI is not yet expected to build our homes, care for our sick, or directly teach our young.

So, if the above are the fastest-growing jobs according to the World Economic Forum, what about those that are expected to decline by 2030?

• Cashiers and ticket clerks
• Administrative assistants and executive secretaries
• Building caretakers, cleaners and housekeepers

These appear at the top of the list, and I must admit I am surprised by the inclusion of cleaners and housekeepers – perhaps we are moving towards an era of self-cleaning buildings 😉.

• Accountants and auditors
• Transportation attendants and conductors  

Appear in the middle of the list of fifteen.

• Graphic designers
• Business services and administrative managers
• Claims adjusters, examiners and investigators

Appear at the bottom.

Overall, this list appears to be a more diverse mix of manual, white-collar professions, and early-career positions. But I’m curious about the roles in between—our engineers, designers, architects, actors, artists, writers—where will they fit within the future world of work?

I suspect somewhere in between, within the cracks, in those spaces where innovation, creativity, and dreams meet, which leads me nicely onto my next question.

So, what are the skills needed for tomorrow?

Perhaps not too surprisingly, according to the World Economic Forum, the key skills for the future include:

Technological skills that are projected to grow in importance over the next five years – particularly AI, big data, networks, cybersecurity, and technological literacy.

Intrigued by the idea of technological literacy and what it really means, I found the following on Wikipedia:

Technological literacy refers to an individual’s ability to effectively use, manage, and critically evaluate technology in a way that supports individual goals, facilitates communication, and creates information. It involves not only knowing how and when to use specific technologies, but also understanding their capabilities, limitations and the impacts they have on individuals, communities and the environment. A technologically literate individual demonstrates practical skills in operating and troubleshooting devices, engages in critical thinking about technical issues, and applies technology to solve problems, retrieve and create information and enhance learning.

I must confess that I find this definition to be somewhat vague. What problems, what issues, what devices? So, I asked ChatGPT:

Please provide a practical example of technological literacy and demonstrate how an individual with this skill can advance their career.

And ChatGPT provided the following example:

Data Analyst Using Spreadsheet Automation

Situation:

Maria works as a marketing coordinator. Her role involves compiling weekly reports on customer engagement from multiple sources (emails, social media, and website analytics). Initially, she spends hours manually copying data into spreadsheets.

Technological Literacy in Action:

Maria has developed technological literacy through learning spreadsheet automation tools (Excel formulas, pivot tables, and Power Query). Instead of manually entering data, she sets up automated processes:

• Uses APIs or imports to pull data directly from Google Analytics and social media platforms.
• Applies pivot tables to summarise trends quickly.
• Writes simple macros to generate charts automatically.

Outcome:

• Reduces reporting time from 5 hours to 30 minutes weekly.
• Provides real-time dashboards for her manager, allowing faster decision-making.
• Positions herself as the “go-to” person for data-driven marketing insights.

Career Advancement:

• Maria’s efficiency and problem-solving skills earn her a promotion to Marketing Data Analyst.
• Later, she builds on these skills by learning SQL and basic Python, further expanding her career opportunities into business intelligence or data science.

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👉 Key takeaway:

Technological literacy isn’t just knowing how to use tools — it’s about understanding how to adapt, apply, and innovate with technology in ways that improve productivity and outcomes. Those who demonstrate this can stand out in their organisations, often leading to promotions, specialised roles, or entirely new career paths.

Would you like me to give you another example in a different career field (like healthcare, education, or manufacturing) to make it more tailored?

I refused the offer of another example but did ask, ‘What is this based on?’

Good question 👍

Thanks, ChatGPT 😉

The example I gave is based on the concept of technological literacy as defined in education and workforce development research. In simple terms:

• Technological literacy means having the ability to use, understand, manage, and evaluate technology to solve problems or achieve goals.
• The example of Maria (the marketing coordinator) is a practical, illustrative scenario — not a real person, but a realistic case study modelled on common workplace situations.

It’s grounded in:

1. Workforce reports that highlight automation and data handling as key digital skills.
2. Career development frameworks that show how employees who demonstrate digital competence often move into more specialised or higher-level roles.
3. Everyday business practices — many marketing and administrative roles require reporting, and technological literacy (like mastering Excel, automation, or dashboards) makes a measurable difference in efficiency and career advancement.

So, it’s not a single-sourced case study, but a synthesised practical example that mirrors real-world outcomes people experience when they apply technological literacy in their jobs.

Would you like me to pull some real-world documented cases or studies (e.g., from reports or articles) that demonstrate how technological literacy leads to career advancement?

I said yes, please, to this last question:

Absolutely! Here are real-world findings and studies demonstrating how technological (or digital) literacy leads to improved employment outcomes, career advancement, and innovation:

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Key Research & Evidence

1. Digital Skills Translate to Higher Earnings

• A report by the National Skills Coalition found that workers with even one digital skill earn 23% more, while those with at least three digital skills see a 45% pay increase compared to jobs requiring no digital skills National Skills Coalition.
• This highlights how foundational digital competencies like basic software use can significantly boost income potential.

2. Rising Demand Across All Job Types

• A study by the Urban Institute shows that 78% of middle-skill jobs now require baseline digital skills (e.g., using spreadsheets or word processing) Urban Institute.
• The digital content of many occupations—from healthcare to welding—has significantly increased between 2002 and 2016 Urban Institute.

3. Improved Employability and Performance

• A cross-sectional analysis concluded that information/data literacy, digital communication, and collaboration skills in virtual settings are strongly tied to better employability and company performance MDPI.

4. Digital Literacy Promotes Innovation and Adaptability

• A systematic review published in Frontiers in Psychology found clear links between digital literacy and increased employability, innovative behavior, and overall performance, especially within advanced industrial and knowledge-based contexts Frontiers.

5. Training Combined with Job Support Leads to Career Gains

• An ILO (International Labour Organization) randomized evaluation (RCT) reported that when digital skills training was paired with job-referral services, participants experienced a 37% increase in positive employment outcomes International Labour Organization.

6. Education Focused on Digital Skills Prepares Professionals Better

• Northeastern University emphasizes that developing digital competencies—such as data interpretation, using tools like Google Analytics or Trello, and embracing emerging tech—gives professionals an edge when advancing their careers across fields Northeastern Graduate Programs.

7. Sector-Specific Upskilling: Healthcare

• The EU-backed Susa project is training over 6,500 graduates and 660 mid-career professionals (e.g., doctors and nurses) in digital health, including AI, with the goal of transforming patient care and boosting career prospects in healthcare Financial Times.

8. AI Skills and Digital Literacy Combined Drive Advancement

• Recent research (2ACT framework) shows that using AI in augmentative ways, paired with technical knowledge, creates significant upward mobility by serving as a “skill bridge” across job categories arXiv.
• Other studies reveal that the demand and wage premium for AI-complementary skills—like teamwork and ethics—are rising significantly in AI and tech roles arXiv.

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Summary Table

Benefit Area	Real-World Evidence & Outcome
Higher Earnings	+23% (1 skill), +45% (3 skills) National Skills Coalition
Broader Job Demand	78% of middle-skill roles require digital literacy Urban Institute
Better Employability	Enhanced communication, innovation, and performance MDPIFrontiers
Upward Mobility	Training + placement = 37% better employment outcomes International Labour Organization
Educational Advantage	Structured upskilling via graduate programs builds market-ready tech fluency Northeastern Graduate Programs
Sector-specific Impact	Digital health training strengthens careers in healthcare Financial Times
AI-enabled Growth	Combining AI with tech skills fosters new career pathways arXiv+1

ChatGPT was then kind enough to offer me its final thoughts:

These findings collectively affirm that technological literacy does more than streamline tasks—it empowers career transformation. From wage gains and broader job eligibility to innovation and AI adaptability, digital fluency consistently correlates with career progression.

If you’d like, I can dive deeper into any of these areas—whether it’s healthcare, education, AI, or even practical advice for your own development path. Just say the word!

I declined the offer of a deeper dive, as you can see, there is more than enough to be getting on with. Though it raises the question: how do we synthesise and make sense of the vast volume of information that AI can provide us with? More AI? This one exercise showed me that when using AI – whether it is generative or agentic – we need to think in terms of depth and continue to probe.

I should also say that, at the time of writing, all the links provided by ChatGPT were functioning and accessible.

However, this nicely leads onto the other skills identified by the World Economic Forum in their report. It seems that creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, and agility are also gaining importance, alongside curiosity and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Again, helpful and soothing words, but what might they mean in practice?

I couldn’t quite face another discussion with ChatGPT, so I reflected on a few ideas based on my lived experience and what I observe from those around me. 

I observe how people around me identify problems and consider the role technology might play in solving or addressing them. It appears that better questions lead to more effective solutions. Those who ask more nuanced and probing questions are often the same individuals who can contextualise more and may also be the ones who use technology more effectively. 

I observe how some individuals form hypotheses and design experiments to test them. Interestingly, I’ve noticed this among writers on Medium.

Others recognise what they might find most useful to learn and where AI, for example, can assist.

I wonder if there is something around initiative, experimenting and learning cycles.

I see others apply their creative thinking to explore ideas, juxtapose different elements, and place contrasting things side by side, thereby innovating and challenging existing approaches.

Others apply their imagination and creativity in how they think and frame questions and problems that AI, or other technology, might support or assist them with.

Some people focus on lifelong learning – understanding how they learn best and playing to their strengths as individuals.

So, what are you uniquely best placed to do? This level of self-knowledge will, I believe, become even more critical – how might technology support your strengths and help mitigate your weaknesses? Scary questions, perhaps, but ones that we each need to ask ourselves.

The final set of skills to complete the top ten, according to the World Economic Forum, are leadership and social influence, talent management, analytical thinking and environmental stewardship.

I will, at this stage, only comment that analytical thinking involves recognising patterns and the story or narrative it conveys. What does this imply in the real world? Who would benefit most from hearing this story or narrative? The process involves identifying the story within the big data and determining who needs to hear it.

Being able to cast a critical and analytical eye over plausible-sounding reports. What is not being said, what is missing? How else can you check the facts?   

What can our government and organisations do?

Support the creation of new jobs and income opportunities – look at ways to bring people with you. Undoubtedly, there will be opportunities – but people need to be able to swim rather than drown in them.

So, I am heartened to see the Future of Jobs Initiative and the Reskilling Revolution launched in 2020 – it gives me hope that these initiatives are already underway:

Three areas of focus for the Reskilling Revolution:

• Shaping the future of Critical Skills
• Promoting reskilling and learning
• Integrating AI into education

If you and or your organisation are looking for a way forward around this, you can find out more here.

Key objectives for the Future Jobs Initiative:

• Prepare workers for dynamic job transitions
• Drive improvement of global job quality
• Ensure AI leads to job augmentation and productivity growth.

To find out more about the World Economic Forum’s Future Jobs Initiative, click here

I am encouraged to see the focus on job augmentation and productivity growth, especially considering that productivity has been lagging in the UK for many years. We arguably face a ‘Productivity Paradox’ because, despite investing in IT systems, we are not becoming more productive.

What can we as individuals do?

Take ownership and as much control of our learning and development as we can.

In his article, Microsoft Study: 40 Jobs AI will Replace vs 40 Safe Careers, MKWrites:

The future belongs to professionals who understand how to work with AI rather than against it. This means developing skills that complement AI’s strengths while doubling down on uniquely human capabilities. 

As I mentioned earlier, I believe self-awareness and self-knowledge about how we think as individuals will play a vital role. By becoming clearer about our strengths and identifying our blind spots, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves.

We can ask ourselves, How do I habitually approach problems? What problems am I best suited to solve, and how could AI support me?

We can recognise where we cannot compete with the machines, where we cannot outrun them, but what we can do as human beings is develop our:

• Wisdom
• Maturity
• Understanding
• Discernment
• Insight
• Intuition
• Playfulness
• Humour
• Compassion
• Kindness
• Integrity
• Authenticity
• And Leadership.

We can do more than acquire competence; we can smell the flowers and watch a sunset.

Until next time.