Jobs are central to our lives. They enable us to make a living. Productive jobs create wealtl and drive development. Full employment ensures not only economic prosperity but also socia cohesion and stability. That is why the International Labour Organization(ILO), as one of the UN agencies specialized in employment, promotes decent work as a key to sustainable development and social justice.
Globally, the world of work is undergoing great changes unseen in a century. We often hear that many people can't find jobs, while employers can't find qualified employees. Ever those who have jobs are worried about the future of their jobs.
Such anxiety is not misplaced. The ILO's World Employment and Social Outlo ok 2020 report shows that all regions are facing major job-skills gaps and mismatches. According to a study, a generation ago the skills you learned in school were sufficient for you to survive in the job market for a while. Now half of the skills you acquired through education and training may start to depreciate(贬值) within 5 years! (Boston Consulting Group, 2023) Skills become outdated much quicker, as technological transformation and the green transition(转型) are quickening.
ChatGPT is a case in point. AI has the potential to replace many professional and ever creative jobs. The potential threat is no longer limited to replacing unskilled repetitive jobs by automation. Technologies are fundamentally reshaping workplaces and jobs.
The green transition is another driver for growing skill-job mismatch. The automobile industry may continue to boom, but electronic cars require a different set of human skills from fossil fuel-driven cars. Jobs in high carbon emission sectors will gradually disappear, while alternative jobs are greened or created in green sectors. According to an ILO analysis, because of the green transition, there could be around 78 million job losses globally by 2030. However, over 103 million jobs can be created — but only if workers can be systematically reskilled and upskilled. (ILO, 2019)
