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.