Skills Challenges Globally (case study on APEC)

Vanessa Wainwright

2030 Skills Mission to democratise access for 100 million people to learning and inclusive opportunities through the Skills Passport

Published Apr 18, 2023

Globally countries individually and collectively are now addressing the skills challenges by investing in new skills and digitalisation strategies to future proof GDP. In this week’s Skills Newsletter we move from Europe to take a look at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a regional economic forum comprising 21 member economies.

The APEC Region is facing several skills challenges, including:

Bridging the skills gap: APEC member economies vary significantly in terms of their levels of economic development, educational attainment, and skills. Bridging the skills gap among member economies is critical to ensure that all member economies can benefit from APEC's economic integration and growth.
Enhancing skills for innovation and technology: As the global economy becomes increasingly driven by innovation and technology, APEC member economies need to enhance their skills to keep up with the changing economic landscape. This includes developing skills in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and data analytics.
Promoting lifelong learning: As the nature of work evolves, workers will need to continually upgrade their skills to remain employable. APEC member economies need to promote lifelong learning and provide workers with opportunities to acquire new skills throughout their careers.
Improving skills for entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic growth, but many aspiring entrepreneurs lack the skills and knowledge needed to start and run a successful business. APEC member economies need to provide training and support to help entrepreneurs develop the skills they need to succeed.
Addressing gender gaps in skills and employment: Women in APEC member economies often face significant barriers to acquiring the skills needed to succeed in the workforce. APEC member economies need to address gender gaps in education and employment and ensure that women have equal access to training and job opportunities.
Developing skills for sustainability: APEC member economies need to develop skills to support sustainable development, including skills in areas such as renewable energy, resource management, and sustainable agriculture.

Addressing these skills challenges will require cooperation and collaboration among APEC member economies, as well as investment in education and training programs to develop the skills needed for the future of work.

The Impact of Digital Technologies & Innovation on the Workplace of the Future

A report from the Australian APEC Study Centre in partnership with RMIT University highlighted that digital innovation is widely recognised as a catalyst for economic growth and increased social welfare.

The potential to improve society through increased productivity, better government services, and access to improved healthcare and broader markets, is recognised as being vital to sustainable economic growth. Digital innovation is driving structural adjustment in the labour market and raising the requirement for effective human resource development to prepare coming generations for the work of the future in the digital age, up-skill existing workers to ensure they can participate and are not displaced, and act to ensure that vulnerable groups are not left behind. As digital technology is adopted more rapidly, the need for advanced digital literacy for everyone is increasingly needed. Individuals in the workforce will need resilience and adaptability to navigate this changing environment and digital capability and skills development are of vital importance.

Additionally, APEC economies widely recognise the need for measures that remove the barriers to digital and skills innovation, particularly for women, indigenous groups, the elderly, workers in the informal economy, as well as rural and remote populations.

In summary

While digital and skills innovation is driven by the actions of the private sector, governments are key to providing an enabling environment. The exponential rate of change being created by digital technologies requires policy and regulation development that is agile, considers everyone in society and involves key stakeholders in its development (Source: APEC Study Centre)

Vanessa Tierney and Fiona Whelan

CEO and Director of Education and Skills

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