Skills, employability and lifelong learning in the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 labour market

ABSTRACT

This paper considers the inclusion of TVET and skills in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and analyses the key changes likely to impact on TVET and skill systems from now until 2030. It argues that despite SDG implementation and monitoring challenges, the new emphasis on TVET, skills and lifelong learning will reinforce efforts of international, bilateral and multi-lateral organizations. It concludes that the SDG targets relevant to TVET and skills development reflect existing priorities and normative principles adopted by development actors and mirror the recent resurgence of interest in TVET and skills development more widely. In considering the various key drivers likely to influence the development of labour markets and TVET systems from now until 2030, the paper concludes that, while many of the emerging issues may have not been explicitly considered during formulation of the SDGs, they too will have a potentially positive effect on SDG implementation.

KEYWORDS:

• Skills
• SDGs
• lifelong learning
• future of work
• TVET trends

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Box 1. Access to skills in SDG4.

Box 2. Skills for sustainable development in SDG4.

Box 3. Relevance of skills in SDG4.

Box 4. Skills for youth in SDG8.

Box 5. Quality of skills in SDG4.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul John Comyn

Paul John Comyn has worked in the field of skills development for 30 years and has undertaken various assignments in 22 different countries. He has been employed by the ILO for 11 years, 5 of which were spent as the Regional Specialist for Skills & Employability in South Asia, based in New Delhi. He has a PhD in TVET Policy from the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS).