Skills and the Future of Work: Strategies for Inclusive Growth in Asia and the Pacific

To realize inclusive growth, our efforts for skills development of the workforce must have an impact on creating better employment and stronger business.

Asia and the Pacific is a vast and diverse region that is undergoing rapid and significant change in its economies and the work that people do. By connecting the themes of “skills”, “the future of work” and “inclusive growth”, the book pushes the boundaries beyond the conventional areas of policy discussion. It examines how skills policy can be relevant not only to the rapidly changing world of work but also to the need for social inclusion. While continuous effort is needed to strengthen the system of skills provision, the book highlights the need for a future strategy to address not only “what skills” and “who gets access to training” but also whether and how these skills are having an impact on creating better employment and business outcomes. This requires greater appreciation of the demand side of skills and addressing skills issues in the context of, or in conjunction with, the evolving context of work.

The book brings together a wide-ranging set of discussions, analyses and perspectives by leading experts and practitioners that is designed to provoke major policy re-thinking.