The creation of employment and skilling opportunities must be at the forefront of government strategies to increase the purchasing power of citizens and to build a decent, productive future for all. New technological solutions, including digital platforms, have further enabled and enhanced opportunities for people to restructure work models. This necessitates the need to address the existing skill gaps resulting from technological advancements, and advancing efforts focused at upskilling and re-skilling of individuals.

At the same time, the pandemic has revealed the precarious nature of many forms of work in terms of the weak or absent social protection in times of crisis. Overcoming these challenges requires a committed and collaborative action from both businesses and government.

As millions of workers need to be re-employed, training, reskilling and workforce transitional efforts should be oriented towards jobs with the most productive and sustainable prospects for the future..