Given the tumultuous trends reshaping labour markets across the world, lifelong learning needs to be a central pillar of governments’ economic and social policies, the International Labour Organisation said on Tuesday (May 5, 2026). Growing digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), the green transition, and demographic shifts were identified as some of the factors driving this shift.
In a report released in Geneva on Tuesday (May 5, 2026), the ILO emphasised that 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,” the report noted.
Lifelong learning is the bridge between today’s jobs and tomorrow’s opportunities, added ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo.
Strategic policy priority
The report argues that lifelong learning should be elevated as a strategic policy priority, not just as a tool to increase productivity and facilitate sustainable growth, but also as a systemic enabler of personal and societal advancement, equity, and decent work in the 21st century.
It flags a “striking gap” in comprehensive, authoritative, up-to-date research that captures the full scope of lifelong learning. “Much of the existing evidence remains scattered and overemphasizes initial formal education, overlooking the diverse and dynamic ways people acquire and apply skills throughout life,” the report said, underscoring a need to rethink lifelong learning beyond formal education and training.
Access gap
According to the report, only 16% of people aged 15 to 64 years reported that they took part in structured training in the year prior to being interviewed, with little difference across countries. “Among full-time, permanent workers in formal firms, participation is higher, with 51% receiving training from their employer. This gap shows clear inequalities in access to learning, especially between formal and informal workers and across education levels,” the report says.
The report offers a comprehensive road map for countries to transform lifelong learning systems and use them to build inclusive and resilient labour markets. It calls for inclusive, high-quality, and responsive lifelong learning at the centre of labour market policy as well as growth and development strategies.