Are we ready for the future of work?
Insights from the International Day of Education 2025
spotlighting the theme, 'Artificial intelligence and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation.' This year’s event focused on the critical intersection of technology and humanity, addressing how education can empower individuals to thrive in an era shaped by AI-driven transformation.
During one of the four breakout sessions organized by the Youth Literacy and Skills Development Section, titled 'Skilling for the AI era: What does the future demand?', panellists explored the impact of AI on skills development. The session sparked active engagement, with online audiences contributing questions and insights.
Mr Ilja Riekki, Programme Specialist at UNESCO, kicked off the session with welcoming remarks that set an engaging and insightful tone for the discussions ahead. He highlighted the urgency of preparing for the rapid changes brought by digitalization and artificial intelligence, noting that by 2027, 61% of the global population will require upskilling or retraining. Mr Riekki emphasized the disproportionate impact of automation on women and youth while pointing to the opportunities offered by creating millions of new digital jobs. He underscored the importance of aligning education and training systems with the needs of an AI-driven economy, ensuring lifelong learning remains accessible and impactful. Encouraging active participation, he invited attendees to share their observations, best practices and questions, emphasizing the session's goal of shaping policies and programmes that empower learners worldwide.
Ms Barbara Glover, Programme Officer at the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, delivered an inspiring keynote address titled 'Africa’s AI Awakening: It’s More Than Just Algorithms', shedding light on the continent’s unique opportunities and challenges in the AI era. She highlighted ten key AI-related challenges in Africa, including the urgent need to bridge the skills gap, with only 40% of Africa's workforce possessing foundational digital skills compared to 58% globally. She also emphasized accessibility, multilingualism and youth empowerment while presenting the African Union Continental AI Strategy as a key initiative to address these challenges.
“AI will both disrupt and create jobs on a massive scale,” shared Mr Ramon Iriarte, Education Programme Specialist at UNESCO, highlighting the challenges and opportunities AI presents for skills development. He traced UNESCO’s efforts from the 2019 Beijing Consensus on AI and Education, redefining educators' roles, to the 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, emphasizing AI as a public good. Mr Iriarte also referenced UNESCO’s Strategy for TVET 2022–2029, which addresses labour market disruptions through initiatives like the Interagency Working Group on TVET, the Global Skills Academy and the UNEVOC Network. He invited participants to explore how AI challenges skills development systems and how it can be leveraged for innovative solutions.
Building on these insights, the session brought together experts from academia, business, international organizations and NGOs to discuss integrating AI and digitalization into skills development and TVET systems.
Mr Yeo Wee Siong, Director at SkillsFuture Singapore, shared Singapore’s data-driven approach and public-private partnerships to address skills gaps, while Mr Emmanuel Appiah-Kubi, Associate Professor at AAMUSTED, highlighted Africa’s unique challenges, from integrating AI into informal economies to transforming traditional teaching practices. Ms El-Iza Mohamedou, Head of the OECD Centre for Skills, emphasized the rising demand for AI professionals, citing flexible apprenticeships and digital simulators as key solutions. Similarly, Ms Ulla Hemminki-Reijonen, Director at the University of Helsinki, stressed the importance of equipping educators with AI tools. Mr Armand Leblois of Cisco Networking Academy discussed using AI to personalize learning and validate certifications, while Ms Vera Martinho of Junior Achievement Europe underscored the need to empower youth to take the lead in AI development.
Over 200 online participants actively engaged in the Q&A session, posing questions such as, “What is the best way to complement TVET with the use of AI?”. Panellists emphasized improving accessibility, fostering inclusion, leveraging AI for personalized learning and building confidence in AI adoption, which are key strategies for integrating AI into TVET systems.
As AI continues to reshape education and the labour market, the path forward lies in ensuring equitable access, skills development and adoption by both learners and educators. TVET does not only have to adapt to AI but actively harness its potential to create more inclusive, personalized, and future-ready learning environments. The question remains: How can we best balance technological innovation with the human-centred approach that education requires?
To act now, policymakers, educators and stakeholders need to collaborate to reduce barriers, embrace data-driven solutions and equip both teachers and learners with the tools they need to thrive in the AI era. Within this perspective, UNESCO will host the 2025 Annual Global Education Coalition Meeting in March, continuing the discussion on AI and partnership. Join us to ensure that AI serves as a force for inclusion and opportunity, shaping a future where education remains a pillar of human agency and growth.
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