India has joined the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Reskilling Revolution initiative as a founding government member. Launched in 2020, the scheme aims to provide 1 billion people with better education, skills and jobs by 2030. It seeks to future-proof workers from technological change and help economies by providing new skills needed for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Founding Members
The Reskilling Revolution has brought together governments and private sector leaders as founding members. The founding governments include Brazil, France, India, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, UAE and the US. Major companies signed on as business partners include PwC, Salesforce, ManpowerGroup, Infosys, LinkedIn, Coursera Inc. and The Adecco Group. Over 415 firms have pledged over 14.5 million career-enhancement opportunities for American workers over the next five years.
Goals and Implementation
The primary goal is to provide 1 billion people with improved employability and quality jobs by 2030. The initiative aims to achieve this through partnerships between governments and businesses focused on education, skills development and job creation.
Specific efforts will include digital skills training, industry-recognized certifications, apprenticeships, and matching skilled workers with quality jobs globally. Coursera and LinkedIn are key partners providing data and insights to map emerging professional roles and critical skills needs.
India’s Participation
As a founding government member, India will play a leading role in driving the Reskilling Revolution agenda. Indian IT leader Infosys is also a direct business partner, bringing its expertise in skills development and training to the initiative. For India, the partnership offers a platform to equip Indian workers with skills for the future and improve job opportunities.
The US Example
Ivanka Trump highlighted the US as an exemplar, with public-private collaboration focused on preparing American workers and the economy for the changing nature of work. The US Pledge to America’s Workers has spurred private sector pledges for over 14.5 million career-enhancement opportunities in the country over five years. Such efforts demonstrate the potential for the 1 billion global target.
The Need for Upskilling
WEF Founder Klaus Schwab stressed that providing decent jobs and incomes worldwide requires a “reskilling revolution” enabling 1 billion people to acquire new skills. As per the WEF’s “Jobs of Tomorrow” report with LinkedIn and Coursera, seven emerging professional clusters will create 96 high-growth job roles – for which updated skills training is imperative.
