The impact of macrotrends on labour markets over the 2025-2030 period will have both common and sector- and region/economy-specific characteristics across industries and geographies around the world. This chapter highlights key findings from the Future of Jobs Survey as they relate to the expected jobs landscape, anticipated skills needs and planned workforce strategies of employers at regional, economy and industry levels – and offers insights into how businesses in specific economies and sectors are navigating these transformations.

In addition to the insights presented in this chapter, Part 2 of the report provides detailed region, economy and industry profiles for all geographies and sectors featured in the report, and the corresponding data may also be accessed online, via an interactive data explorer tool, at: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/future-of-jobs-data-explorer.

Companies headquartered in Eastern Asia expect aging and declining working-age populations and slower economic growth to transform the region’s labour markets by 2030. Organizational culture and resistance to change are perceived as a significant barrier to business transformation by 64% of employers in the region, above the global average of 46%. Industry talent shortages are likewise seen as a key barrier to transformation by 53% of companies. To address these challenges, businesses operating in China and Republic of Korea are investing in technologies to automate and augment their workforce, while those operating in Japan and Hong Kong SAR, China, are increasingly tapping into diverse talent pools.

Over the next five years, more than half of companies operating in China expect geoeconomic fragmentation and increased efforts in climate mitigation to shape their businesses, above a global average of 34% and 47%, respectively. More than 90% of employers identify AI and robotics as key technologies to transform their organization, while 43% identify new materials and 19% identify biotechnology, a higher share than their global peers (30% and 11%, respectively). Industry talent shortages are highlighted by 38% of businesses operating in the country. According to more than half of employers, government’s funding for reskilling and upskilling and increased flexibility on hiring and firing practices could contribute to to see benefits from increased public support for caregivers.

In Hong Kong SAR, China, 60% of businesses include increased focus on labour and social issues among the top trends impacting their organization, which is significantly higher than the global average of 46%. This is followed by broadening digital access (60%) and increased climate-mitigation efforts (56%). Technology is seen as central to workforce planning, with 76% of companies aiming to augment their workforce using new technologies. Businesses operating in Hong Kong SAR, China expect 43% of tasks to be completed primarily by technology by 2030, surpassing the global estimate of 34%. Efforts to broaden hiring are evident, as 76% of employers plan to tap into diverse talent pools, compared to 47% globally. Moreover, 82% of businesses are planning to implement targeted recruitment, retention, and progression initiatives, exceeding the global average of 48%.

Overall, 69% of employers in Japan highlight ageing and declining working-age populations as a critical trend impacting their organization by 2030, exceeding the global average of 40%. According to 55% of respondents, cultural resistance to change remains a barrier to business transformation, alongside skills gaps (41%) and industry talent shortages (49%). Information Security Analysts and Data Analysts and Scientists are projected to be among the top growing jobs in the country. In response, businesses operating in the country are planning to prioritize access to diverse talent and supporting reskilling. Employers also share expectations for greater government involvement in provisioning and funding of reskilling and upskilling.

Geoeconomic fragmentation and advances in frontier technologies are likely to drive labour-market transformation in Republic of Korea in the next five years: 71% of companies operating in the country highlight increased geopolitical tensions as a key trend impacting their business, more than twice the global average, and 53% mention increased restrictions to global trade. Businesses in Republic of Korea are ahead of global peers in technologies such as semiconductors and new materials. Talent shortages at the industry level are a concern for 47% of respondents. Companies are planning on addressing skills gaps by hiring staff with emerging skills (92%) and adopting technologies to augment the workforce (83%). Additionally, employers operating in Republic of Korea plan to explore workforce strategies such as supplementing childcare for working parents (50%) to attract and retain talent.

Businesses operating in Australia foresee a complex mix of technological, green and demographic transitions, as well as geoeconomic fragmentation: 65% of employers identify skills gaps, while 45% view inability to attract talent to the industry as a key business challenge over the 2025- 2030 period. To address the increasing need for skilled talent, 45% of respondents hope for changes to immigration policies to attract global talent, compared to a global average of 26%. Additionally, 49% of businesses operating in Australia anticipate offering cross-border remote work options, nearly double the global average, and 63% identify tapping into diverse talent pools as an effective approach to increasing talent availability in the country.

Advances in technology, uncertain economic outlook and increasing geoeconomic fragmentation are foreseen to be shaping labour markets in South-Eastern Asia over the 2025-2030 period. To prepare for these disruptions and meet emerging business needs, employers headquartered in the region are particularly focused on upskilling their workforce (96%, compared to 85% globally) and hiring staff with new skills (86%, compared to 70% globally), with a large number of businesses in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines also expecting to address these challenges by facilitating internal job transitions. Finding skilled talent continues to be seen as a main barrier to business transformation, with employers in Singapore and Viet Nam, in particular, calling for policy reforms to expand the talent base in these countries.

Digitalization is perceived as the most important driver of labour-market transformation in Indonesia by 2030, with 83% of businesses operating in the country expecting this trend to impact their organization, compared to 60% globally. Forty- one percent of employers also highlight increased restrictions on trade and investment as a key trend impacting their businesses, which is almost twice the global average. A higher share than global peers aim to leverage new materials and composites (52%) as well as sensing, laser and optical technologies (39%). Workforce strategies are expected to focus on transitioning employees from declining to growing roles, with AI Specialists and Sustainability Specialists leading job growth, and administrative and data entry roles in decline.

Overall, companies operating in Malaysia expect increased restrictions on global trade and investment (45%), alongside a heightened focus on government subsidies and industrial policy (34%) and stricter anti-trust regulations (31%) to drive transformation of their businesses by 2030. These responses are all above the respective global averages. Employers also regard broadening digital access as a key driver of transformation, highlighted by 79% of respondents. In response to these disruptions, businesses in Malaysia are exploring distinct approaches to reskilling: While most organizations anticipate self-funding their training programmes, 32% of reskilling efforts are expected to be co-funded across the industry, twice the global level. In addition, 35% of employers in the country plan to consider completion of short courses and online certifications when assessing skills of job candidates, more than twice the global average (14%).

Broadening digital access and climate mitigation and adaptation efforts are expected to jointly shape labour-market dynamics in the Philippines by 2030. With two-thirds of employers in the country identifying skills gaps as a barrier over the next half decade, businesses are planning to scale up their reskilling efforts: 68% of Filipino workers are expected to require training to meet evolving skill demands (compared to 59% globally), but only 38% of workers are reported to have completed training today (compared to 50% globally). Employers operating in the Philippines anticipate that almost three in 10 workers will be upskilled and then re- deployed to new roles.

In Singapore, 64% of employers operating in the country expect their business to be impacted by geoeconomic fragmentation, twice the global average. Similar to global and regional peers, firms in Singapore expect skills gaps, regulatory barriers and organizational resistance to hinder business transformation. Notably, 97% of companies plan to prioritize upskilling as their key workforce strategy, significantly above global levels. Hiring staff with emerging skills and process automation are also among anticipated key workforce strategies. While a skills-first approach is perceived as having the potential to expand Singapore’s talent pool, 58% of employers expect to continue prioritizing university degrees in hiring decisions, which is higher than the 43% global average.

Economic uncertainty is top of mind for employers operating in Thailand, with 73% of respondents expecting slower growth to impact their business by 2030 – above the global average of 42% – and rising inflation and climate-mitigation efforts among other anticipated key trends. Talent acquisition is seen as challenging, with 62% of respondents facing difficulty attracting talent to their industry and 46% to their firms. Employers in Thailand are increasingly planning on leveraging diversity equity and inclusion programmes (64%) and supplementing childcare for working parents (45%). With regard to public policies, funding for reskilling and upskilling and flexibility on hiring and firing practices are seen as the two most beneficial policies to expand the talent base.

A majority of companies operating in Viet Nam expect increased digitalization, climate mitigation action and higher cost of living to shape the transformation of their business models over the 2025-2030 period. About one in two employers also highlights restrictions on global trade and investment among the most impactful trends for their business, twice the global average of 23%. For more than 60% of firms in the country, adapting to these trends is perceived to be made more difficult by existing skills gaps in the labour market, while 55% of respondents mention inadequate data and technical infrastructure and 41% point to limited understanding of emerging opportunities. To close skills gaps, a majority of employers in the country expect the most impactful public-policy measures to be increased public funding for reskilling and upskilling as well as more flexible hiring and firing practices. Half of respondents also point to adjustments to immigration laws (50%, compared to 26% globally) and retirement ages (46%, compared to 25% globally).

Increased digital access, geopolitical tensions and climate-mitigation efforts are the primary trends expected to shape the future of jobs in India by 2030. Similar to their global peers, companies operating in the country are heavily investing in AI, robotics and autonomous systems, and energy technologies. Employers in India are also planning to outpace global adoption in certain technologies, with 35% expecting semiconductors and computing technologies and 21% expecting quantum and encryption to transform their operations. The country’s projected fastest- growing job roles – including Big Data Specialists, AI and Machine Learning Specialists, and Security Management Specialists – align closely with these trends. To address talent needs, companies operating in India expect tapping into diverse talent pools (67%, compared to 47% globally) and adopting skills-based hiring by removing degree requirements (30%, compared to 19% globally) to be effective.

Companies operating in Kazakhstan expect broadening digital access, rising cost of living and slower economic growth to significantly impact their business models in the next five years. Technological trends related to AI, robotics and autonomous systems are also expected to have a significant – although lower than global average – impact, with energy generation, storage and distribution identified as the second-most impactful technological trend (highlighted by 54% of respondents). Skills gaps in the labour market are top-of-mind for seven in 10 firms in the country.

Addressing skills gaps in the labour market is identified as a primary challenge to business transformation over the 2025 to 2030 period in Uzbekistan. While 71% of employers in the country expect improvements in talent retention, significantly above the global average, there remains strong need for reskilling and upskilling the current workforce. Overall, only 22% of Uzbekistan’s workforce today is expected to be able to upskill in their current role, with an additional 14% projected to be upskilled and then re-deployed, both of which are lower figures than global averages at 29% and 19%, respectively. Fifty-two percent of employers anticipate implementing strategies for reskilling their workforce to work alongside AI. Skills such as programming, teaching and mentoring, and multilingualism have higher-than-global projected demand increases.

Companies headquartered in the Middle East and Northern Africa region are more positive about talent availability by 2030 than their global peers, with 46% of employers expecting the hiring outlook to improve. Employers in the region, notably in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are also planning on accelerating automation. With 46% of on-the-job skills projected to change, compared to 39% worldwide, the region’s rate of skill disruption is most pronounced in countries such as Egypt and Bahrain, highlighting the need for reskilling and upskilling at a time of multi-dimensional change.

Only 5% of firms operating in Bahrain identify aging and declining working-age populations as a transformative trend by 2030, compared to 40% of respondents globally. Talent availability is expected to remain stable, with only 8% of employers anticipating a deterioration, which is far below the global average. However, two-thirds of employers expect skills gaps in the labour market to remain the top barrier to business transformation. Twenty- four percent of Bahrain’s employees are expected to be able to upskill in their current roles, and an additional 14% to be redeployed after upskilling; both figures are below global averages. To attract skilled talent, employers in the country are focused on improving working hours and overtime policies and expecting to leverage government wage subsidies.

In Egypt, rising cost of living, slower economic growth and broadening digital access are the key trends expected to influence the labour market by 2030. Fifty-five percent of employers operating in the country expect talent availability to improve, significantly above global average, in spite of a heightened rate of skill disruption, as 48% of on-the-job skills of the Egyptian workforce are projected to change over the next half-decade (compared to 39% globally). Upskilling emerges as the most-anticipated workforce strategy. Compared to global averages, companies see an increasing need for skills in resource management and operations (43%, compared to 24% globally) and reading, writing and mathematics.

Amidst geopolitical tensions, a majority of employers operating in Israel highlight broadening digital access and rising cost of living as key drivers of business transformation by 2030. Forty- six percent of firms in the country also identify increased focus on labour and social issues as a key trend, and a similar number expect stricter anti- trust and competition regulations to impact their business models; this rate is significantly above the global average of 17%. By 2030, anticipated key workforce strategies for firms in Israel include hiring talent with emerging skills, accelerating automation, and upskilling employees: 80% of employers are planning on re-orienting their operations to capitalize on new AI-driven business opportunities. Skills such as resilience, flexibility and agility are seen as increasingly in demand, alongside systems thinking.

Businesses operating in Morocco identify the green transition and uncertain economic conditions as the key forces shaping labour-market transformation by 2030. Skills gaps and internal resistance to change are perceived as the top barriers to business transformation. Employers in Morocco are expecting increasing demand for skills in AI and big data, creative thinking, and leadership and social influence over the next five years. Talent availability might benefit from a stronger focus on tapping into diverse talent pools, a workforce strategy envisaged by 24% of firms in the country, compared to 47% globally. Efforts by employers to address the country’s youth unemployment are evident, as 86% of businesses plan to prioritize youth as part of their diversity, equity and inclusion measures, which is significantly above the global average.

As the country continues to pursue economic transformation, Saudi Arabia’s labour market is expected to be shaped by increased digitalization, geoeconomic fragmentation and rising cost of living over the 2025 to 2030 period. Companies operating in the country anticipate a focus on technology adoption, aiming particularly to automate existing tasks, with the proportion of total work tasks mainly delivered autonomously by technology projected to reach 45% by 2030, above global averages. As employers in Saudi Arabia scale up technology investments, over 70% identify technological literacy as a skill on the rise in the country, followed by demand for skills in networks and cybersecurity and AI and big data. Workforce strategies are expected to be dynamic: 38% of companies operating in Saudi Arabia expecting to remove degree requirements to improve talent availability, compared to a global average of 19%.

Addressing skills gaps is seen as a critical priority in Tunisia, with 80% of companies operating in the country identifying skills gaps as the top barrier to business transformation by 2030 and 86% aiming to upskill their workforce to respond to key business trends. Employers in Tunisia see a particularly strong increase in demand for skills in leadership and social influence, creative thinking, and AI and big data skills. Demand for programming skills is also on the rise, with 72% of firms identifying it as a growth area. Seven out of 10 employers plan to fund internally their training needs, and about 41% aim to leverage hybrid, public-private, co-funding models.

In the United Arab Emirates, companies are expecting increased digitalization and efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate change to significantly impact their business models by 2030. Focus on technological shifts is reflected in increasing adoption of technology in day-to- day operations, with the proportion of total work tasks predominantly delivered by autonomous technologies projected to reach 43% over the next five years, above an expected rate of 34% globally. Companies operating in the country expect rising demand for technological literacy, with 87% of respondents emphasizing increased need for this skill. Other growing skills include AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity as well as leadership and social influence.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, 64% of businesses expect increasing focus on labour and social issues to be a key trend impacting their business strategy over the 2025-2030 period, followed by rising cost of living and broadening digital access (both highlighted by 59% of respondents). Companies headquartered in the region are navigating significant transformation barriers, including perceived widespread skills gaps and shortage of investment capital. Employers in Nigeria and Zimbabwe are anticipating stepping up efforts on workforce development over the next five years, while their South African peers are planning to invest in diversity, equity and inclusiont programmes to improve access to skilled talent.

Skills gaps and challenges in attracting talent are expected to be key barriers to business transformation in Nigeria over the next five years. As the country develops its Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry and creates more digital jobs, network and cybersecurity skills are projected to be the fastest-growing skills in demand in the country, with 87% of employers reporting an increasing need by 2030 (compared to a global average of 70% of respondents). This is followed by anticipated employer demand for skills in AI and big data as well as systems thinking. Additionally, service orientation and customer service as well as global citizenship skills are expected to exhibit higher-than-global demand. To help address these talent and skills gaps, 73% of firms operating in Nigeria see benefit in increased public-sector funding for reskilling and upskilling programmes, while 40% state that improving transport services and infrastructure would be equally important to support talent availability.

More than 60% of businesses operating in South Africa identify skills gaps as a key barrier to business transformation by 2030, followed by organizational culture and resistance to change (43%). With jobs such as AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Robotics Engineers on the rise, companies are planning to upskill employees and hire talent with new skills to meet evolving business needs. To expand their talent pool and improve skills matching, 34% of companies plan to remove degree requirements, creating more accessible pathways to emerging jobs. In addition, many employers in South Africa expect to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, with 55% anticipating targeting individuals from disadvantaged religious or ethnic and racial backgrounds, and 41% those from low-income backgrounds, compared to 27% and 24%, respectively, globally.

In Zimbabwe, nearly half of on-the-job skills are expected to change over the next five years, higher than the global average of 39%. Accordingly, 90% of employers have plans to upskill their existing workforce. Skills like systems thinking, marketing and media, customer service, dependability and attention to detail, quality control, and global citizenship are all increasing in demand more rapidly than global averages. Finally, 70% of respondents see benefit in public-policy interventions to improve the education system to better equip the workforce for future demands, above a global average of 47%.

Digitalization, climate mitigation and rising cost of living are the key trends expected to impact labour- market transformation in Europe over the 2025- 2030 period. As companies headquartered in the region aim to adjust to these trends, skills gaps and talent shortages in the labour market remain a key barrier: 54% of employers expect talent availability to worsen, significantly above the global average.

Austria’s labour market is anticipated to change over the next five years, as businesses plan to adapt their strategies in response to growth of the digital economy, rising cost of living, and increased investments in climate adaptation. With a majority of businesses planning to prioritize automating processes and tasks as a key workforce strategy, employers operating in Austria are ahead of many global peers in human-technology collaboration: 42% of all human work tasks are projected to be augmented by technology by 2030 (compared to a global average of 33%). Demand for skills such as motivation and self-awareness is on the rise, with 60% of employers predicting a net increase in their importance.

By 2030, companies operating in Belgium expect to see their business models transformed by climate-mitigation efforts, an aging population and rising cost of living. Reflecting these trends, Belgian employers report growing demand for skills such as environmental stewardship (75%, compared to 53% globally) and talent management (69%, compared to 58%). Companies also plan to adopt business practices to boost talent availability, with 85% anticipating investing in reskilling and upskilling programmes, 78% supporting employee health and well-being, and nearly half (48%) facilitating remote work across national borders – all figures are above global averages.

In Czechia, businesses anticipate navigating the green transition, demographic shifts, and the digital transformation of industries. Over the next five years, over 80% of employers operating in the country plan to focus their workforce strategies on automation and upskilling, while 76% aim to prioritize transitioning staff from declining to growing roles, a higher share than global average. The labour market is expected to remain tight: only 6% of companies anticipate improvements in talent availability, compared to a global average of 29%. Further, 70% of employers hope to improve their talent pipeline by investing in reskilling and upskilling of their current workforce, while 65% plan to offer higher wages to become more attractive.

By 2030, employers in Denmark expect to see business transformation in light of increased investments in climate adaptation, greater emphasis on labour and social issues, and growing geoeconomic fragmentation, while they express less focus than their global peers on digitalization and inflation as potential drivers of change. Denmark’s labour market is projected to exhibit a higher degree of skill stability than most other countries, with 71% of today’s on-the-job skills expected to remain stable, compared to 61% globally. Skills relevant to AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity, as well as curiosity and lifelong learning are expected to increase in use. Global citizenship skills are also set to grow in importance by 2030, with 47% of employers operating in Denmark projecting a net increase in demand, compared to 19% globally.

An aging and shrinking workforce, slower economic growth, and a growing focus on labour and social issues are identified as key trends impacting businesses in Estonia by 2030. Compared to global averages, businesses operating in Estonia are less focused on the green transition, with only 29% expecting their business models to be significantly impacted by investments in carbon reduction and 21% by climate adaptation. Overall, 79% of employers identify skills gaps in the labour market as a primary barrier to transformation, which is above the global average. Firms in Estonia plan to address these talent and skill challenges through business practices such as reskilling and upskilling and supporting employee well-being.

Employers in France expect their business models to be impacted by digital transformation, climate- mitigation efforts, and rising cost of living. To address these trends, companies are planning on prioritizing upskilling and hiring talent with emerging skill sets, alongside accelerating automation. A significant 71% of employers are focused on complementing and augmenting their workforce with new technologies, above the global average of 63%. By 2030, demand is expected to grow for roles such as Security Management Specialists, Digital Transformation Specialists, and Software Developers, while jobs such as Material-Recording and Stock-Keeping Clerks and Data Entry Clerks are projected to decline in the country.

By 2030, companies in Germany expect their business models to be re-shaped by increasing digitalization, climate-mitigation efforts and ongoing geoeconomic fragmentation. For example, 52% of employers operating in Germany are anticipating impacts from growing geopolitical divisions, above the global average of 34%. Businesses are planning to embrace technologies to stay competitive, with 93% expecting that AI and information processing tools, and 67% that robots and autonomous systems, will be transformative to their operations. To prepare for these changes, 81% of companies plan to actively hire staff with new capabilities. Examples of growing roles in the country include Software Developers, UI/UX Designers, and AI and Machine Learning Specialists.

Broadening digital access and rising cost of living are the top trends expected to shape business transformation in Greece by 2030. Sixty-three percent of employers in Greece also identify growing focus on labour and social issues as a key source of transformation for their organization, above the global average of 46%. More than half of companies operating in the country have identified skills gaps in the labour market and inability to attract talent to their industry as key barriers to business transformation. To improve talent availability, a large majority (82%) of firms identifies increased public funding for reskilling and upskilling as a key policy priority, and 64% call for government support through wage subsidies; both exceed global averages. Additionally, 46% of employers suggest that changes to pension regulations and retirement ages could increase talent availability over the next five years. For their part, 92% of companies plan to strengthen their own talent retention by improving talent progression and promotion.

In Hungary, rising cost of living, increasing digitalization, and an aging and shrinking population are expected to shape business models and labour- market outcomes by 2030. A significant 70% of employers identify inflation as a top concern, above the global average of 50%. Talent availability is highlighted as a concern, with 77% of firms operating in the country foreseeing difficulties when hiring. Almost 80% of businesses are planning to offer remote and hybrid work opportunities within the country and nearly 40% envisage doing so across national borders, with almost 70% pointing to more flexible regulation on this matter as a promising public policy to support talent availability in the country.

Anticipating labour-market changes due to increased investment in climate adaptation and growing focus on labour and social issues, companies in Ireland identify talent attraction as a key barrier to business transformation by 2030. Alongside skills gaps, 43% of employers operating in the country expect difficulties in drawing the right talent to their firms, compared to a global average of 27%. To address talent shortages, 40% of companies plan to provide additional support to workers with caregiving responsibilities, and 27% highlight the effectiveness of additional funding for government programmes supporting caregivers. Employers in Ireland are also expanding their diversity, equity and inclusion measures, with 73% conducting pay equity reviews, 53% establishing employee resource groups, and 40% employing diversity, equity and inclusion officers. Additionally, 69% of respondents state a commitment to reducing wage inequalities.

By 2030, employers operating in Italy expect business model transformation in response to increased climate-mitigation efforts, continued digitalization and rising cost of living. In particular, 70% anticipate changes due to investments to reduce carbon emissions, compared to a global average of 47%. Employers in Italy project net job growth in Robotics Engineers, Renewable Energy Engineers, and Environmental Engineers, driving increasing demand for skills such as AI, networks, cybersecurity and environmental stewardship. To adapt to these trends, 85% of respondents aim to upskill their workforce and 73% plan to enhance their workforce through technology augmentation.

Employers in Latvia are anticipating labour- market changes over the next five years due to aging and shrinking population, rising cost of living, and stronger focus on labour and social issues. Diverging from global trends, businesses operating in the country expect to see lower levels of disruption from broadening digital access and investments in carbon reduction and climate adaptation. Talent availability is a stated concern, with 71% of employers expecting hiring challenges. In response, companies in Latvia are planning to emphasize workforce strategies such as accelerating automation and upskilling to mitigate talent shortages.

In Lithuania, employers identify rising cost of living, aging and shrinking population, and broadening digital access as the top three drivers of labour- market changes by 2030. Skills gaps are perceived as a significant barrier to business transformation, with 83% of firms operating in the country citing this issue, compared to a global average of 63%. To address these trends, 86% of firms in Lithuania plan on investing in reskilling and upskilling. Seven in 10 respondents plan to support employee health and well-being while six in 10 aim to improve talent progression and promotion processes in order to increase talent availability. Anticipated workforce strategies also focus on automation and hiring talent with emerging skills to keep pace with evolving business needs.

Talent shortages at the industry level are expected to be a key challenge in the Netherlands over the 2025-2030 period: 56% of firms operating in the country expect hiring difficulties, while only 15% foresee improvements in talent availability. In response, 86% of businesses are planning on accelerating the automation of processes and tasks as a key workforce strategy to address talent shortages, a higher level than their global peers. Upskilling (envisaged by 83% of respondents) and recruiting talent with new skills (anticipated by 71%) are also areas of focus. Furthermore, companies in the Netherlands plan to utilize diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to expand their talent base, with 64% of firms expecting to set specific goals and 46% to embed diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across their supply chains.

By 2030, employers in Norway expect their business models to be significantly impacted by the green and digital transitions. Alongside AI and big data, curiosity and lifelong learning, resilience, flexibility, and agility are expected to be skills with increasing demand, with more employers emphasizing these competencies than in other countries. Seventy-four percent of companies operating in Norway highlight the benefits of public funding for reskilling and upskilling, exceeding the global average. Furthermore, three in every five respondents plan to expand their talent base by leveraging diversity, equity and inclusion policies, surpassing global averages. Additionally, a lower proportion of companies in Norway anticipates wages to account for a growing share of their total revenue over the next five years (26%, compared to 52% globally) and a higher proportion anticipates the reverse (22%, compared to 8% globally).

In Poland, broadening digital access is expected to be the predominant trend driving shifts in the labour market by 2030. The impact of this trend is evident in firms’ expectations regarding changing skills demand, with employers unanimously anticipating increased need for AI and big data skills. Talent availability is also seen as a concern, with 52% of employers operating in the country expecting aging and shrinking workforce to impact their business over the next five years and 65% foreseeing hiring challenges. To address these issues, companies in Poland see potential in supporting employee health and well-being and expanding remote and hybrid work options within the country to attract and retain talent.

In Portugal, 71% of the workforce is expected to require training by 2030, above the global average of 58%. Key skills in demand over the next five years are anticipated to include curiosity and lifelong learning, talent management, and leadership and social influence. Skills such as teaching and mentoring as well as resource management are also increasingly sought after in the country. Firms operating in Portugal plan to invest in reskilling and upskilling, with 87% of employers expecting improved talent retention and 73% transitioning employees to new or evolving roles. Forty percent of respondents regard government as a key funding source for their reskilling and upskilling efforts, which is twice the global average.

Broadening digital access, rising cost of living, and growing geoeconomic fragmentation are seen to be shaping the labour market in Romania over the 2025-2030 period. One out of three companies operating in the country also cite stricter anti-trust and competition regulations as a factor impacting their business models in the next five years, nearly twice the global average. Seventy-six percent of businesses in Romania identify skills gaps in the labour market as a key barrier to transformation, alongside challenges related to talent attraction to industry. To address these concerns, 94% of employers are planning on investing in workforce upskilling, a higher share than their global peers (85%). Firms in the country also anticipate hiring staff with new skills (79%) and accelerating automation (68%) as key workforce strategies in the next half-decade.

Rising cost of living and increased digitalization are expected to be key trends impacting businesses operating in Serbia over the next five years. In addition to skills in AI and big data and technological literacy, talent management and resource management are the skills anticipated to be most in demand in the country. Two-thirds of employers identify skills gaps in the labour market as a key barrier for transforming their business. With regard to policies seen as effective to improve talent availability, 67% of firms point to increased flexibility in hiring and firing practices and 50% to wage subsidies, both above global averages.

In Slovenia, demographic shifts are identified as top-of-mind by employers, with 68% and 45%, respectively, identifying aging and shrinking workforces in some parts of the world and growing working-age populations in others as key trends impacting business models over the next five years. Both shares are above the global average. Skills gaps in the labour market are seen as a key barrier to transformation by two-thirds of companies operating in the country, followed by organizational culture and resistance to change. To improve talent availability, 71% of employers suggest considering more flexible policies regarding hiring and firing, while 50% point to reforming immigration laws. Seven in 10 firms plan to offer higher wages and nearly six in 10 plan to review working hours and overtime policies to improve their attractiveness as employers.

Increasing investments in carbon reduction, broadening digital access, and rising cost of living are expected to shape the labour market in Spain over the 2025-2030 period. Key barriers to transformation perceived by respondents include skills gaps, regulatory frameworks, and resistance to change and organizational cultures. To address talent availability challenges via public policy, 60% of employers in Spain see potential in increased flexibility in hiring and firing practices, and 49% in increased flexibility in setting wages, in addition to public funding for reskilling and upskilling (65%). Regarding business practices, 77% of respondents plan to enhance progression and promotion processes to become more attractive as employers. Moreover, an above-global-average share of employers operating in the country plan to offer remote and hybrid work opportunities and provide support for workers with caregiving responsibilities.

By 2030, Sweden’s employers anticipate business transformation in response to broadening digitalization, demographic shifts and rising cost of living. About 50% identify aging and shrinking workforces in some parts of the world as a key trend, while 41% highlight growing working-age populations elsewhere. Only 5% of firms operating in the country expect hiring conditions to improve over the next five years, significantly below the global average. In response, employers are planning on enhancing talent progression and promotion processes, expanding remote and hybrid work options, and investing in reskilling and upskilling to increase talent availability.

In Switzerland, continuous digitalization is seen as the key driver of business transformation by 2030, followed by climate mitigation and adaptation. This is reflected in 96% of companies expecting AI and information processing technologies to transform their operations. Workforce strategies are anticipated to focus on automation, upskilling, and hiring talent with emerging skills, with 73% of businesses actively integrating new technologies to complement and augment their human workforce. However, talent retention is seen as a concern, with 36% of employers expecting retention to worsen, nearly twice the global average. To address these challenges, firms in Switzerland plan to place a bigger emphasis on flexibility in the workplace than their global peers and to increase talent availability through remote work options across national borders and support for workers with caregiving responsibilities.

Broadening digital access is expected to drive labour market change in Türkiye over the 2025- 2030 period, with firms operating in the country anticipating technologies such as AI, robotics and energy technologies to transform their operations. These expectations are reflected in the list of predicted fastest-growing job roles in the country, which includes Robotics Engineers, Renewable Energy Engineers, and Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Specialists. Employers anticipate 44% of on-the-job skills to be disrupted by 2030, higher than the global average of 39%. AI and big data, technological literacy, and networks and cybersecurity are identified as the fastest-growing skills in the country, in addition to a higher-than- average expected growth in the importance of multilingualism.

In the United Kingdom, the labour market is expected to be influenced by increased digitalization as well as climate mitigation and adaptation efforts over the next five years: 56% of companies operating in the country anticipate seeing their business transformed because of increased investments in climate adaptation, a higher share than their global peers. Fifty-six percent of employers also expect geoeconomic fragmentation to impact their business strategy, compared to 34% globally. As a result of these perceived trends, respondents expect rising demand for skills such as technological literacy, AI, big data and resilience, flexibility and agility. Key job roles anticipated to see significant growth by 2030 include Big Data Specialists, FinTech Engineers, and AI and Machine Learning Specialists.

Technological advancements, demographic shifts, and economic uncertainties are driving strategic decisions of companies headquartered in Northern America. A higher share of employers in this part of the world is evaluating options in both offshoring (23%) and re-shoring (19%), pointing to a possibility of wider global supply chain re-organization. Additionally, companies in the region share a higher-than-average focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, including through measures such as pay- equity audits. Only 35% of companies in Northern America anticipate an increase in wages as a share of total revenues (compared to 52% globally). As macrotrend-driven disruptions reshape the jobs and skills landscape, 67% of the workforce in the region is projected to require upskilling or reskilling by 2030, a rate exceeding the global average.

Employers in Canada are anticipating an evolving business landscape marked by advances in digital technologies, geoeconomic fragmentation, and increased climate-mitigation efforts by 2030. Reflecting these trends, 97% of companies expect AI and information processing technologies to transform their operations. Robotics and autonomous systems, along with energy generation and storage technologies, are also expected to gain traction. Demand for job roles such as Security Management Specialists, AI and Machine Learning Specialists, and Software Developers is expected to be on the rise. To ensure a steady talent pipeline, employers in Canada are looking to bolster talent progression and promotion processes and investing in reskilling and upskilling.

In the United States, technological trends and climate adaptation are expected to shape business and workforce strategies over the 2025-2030 period: 55% of employers highlight climate adaptation as a key trend expected to influence business models. Additionally, 94% of firms in the United States expect AI and information processing technologies to transform their operations in the next five years. Big Data Specialists, AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Data Warehousing Specialists are anticipated to be among the fastest-growing jobs in the country. However, roles such as Data Entry Clerks and Software Testers are seen as in decline as automation reshapes the workforce. To enhance talent availability, respondents see potential in government support for reskilling and upskilling programmes as well as increased flexibility in hiring and firing practices.

Companies headquartered in Latin America and the Caribbean expect increased digitalization, stronger focus on labour and social issues, and increased efforts towards climate mitigation to drive labour market change over the 2025-2030 period. Skills gaps in the labour market, organizational cultures, and outdated regulations are the perceived top barriers to business transformation in the region, each highlighted by about 50% of respondents. Eighty percent of firms expect talent development to improve over the next five years, surpassing global averages. A large majority of employers in the region plans to respond to skills gap by upskilling their own workforce (84%), accelerating the automation of tasks (81%), or hiring staff with new skills (68%).

Employers in Argentina expect broadening digital access, climate mitigation and economic uncertainty to shape labour market change over the next five years. Skills gaps are seen as a barrier to business transformation by 65% of companies, followed by outdated regulations (57%) and organizational cultures and resistance to change (48%). To address skills gaps, firms operating in the country are planning to hire staff with new skills, to automate tasks where possible, and – to a lesser extent – to invest in reskilling and upskilling (71%, compared to a global average of 85%). Expected fastest-growing jobs in the country include Data Analysts and Scientists and AI and Machine Learning Specialists. While only one out of five companies expect wages to account for a growing share of total revenues in the next five years (compared to 52% globally), 57% of employers are planning to design their salary and compensation strategy to support workers’ purchasing power (compared to 33% globally).

In Brazil, like in many other countries, skills gaps are perceived as a primary barrier to business transformation by 2030. Employers operating in the country foresee growth in job roles such as Digital Transformation Specialists, AI and Machine Learning Experts, and Supply Chain and Logistics Specialists. Almost nine in 10 companies in Brazil plan to upskill their workforce over the next five years. While AI and big data, creative thinking, and technological literacy are anticipated to be the fastest-growing skills in the country, companies also expect a greater focus on empathy and active listening, cited by 60% of respondents, as well as resilience, flexibility, agility, and curiosity and lifelong learning.

Companies in Colombia anticipate labour-market changes due to broadening digital access, increased efforts to reduce carbon emissions and greater focus on labour and social issues over the 2025-2030 period: 65% identify skills gaps as a key barrier to transformation and 61% cite outdated or inflexible regulatory frameworks. However, employers operating in Colombia are more positive than global peers regarding their future talent availability outlook, with 47% expecting talent availability to improve by 2030. To improve talent retention, respondents are planning to focus on employee health and well-being and improving employee progression.

By 2030, broadening digital access and climate- change mitigation are expected to shape the labour market in Mexico. Ninety-five percent of companies operating in the country expect AI tools to transform their operations in the next five years, and 63% anticipate making greater use of robotics, with 82% of employers aiming to accelerate automation of tasks over the same time horizon. Information Security Analysts and Big Data Specialists are projected to be among the fastest-growing job roles in the country. Employers in Mexico are positive about talent retention, with 53% expecting improvements (compared to 44% globally). In addition to AI and big data and creative thinking skills, companies anticipate placing greater emphasis on resilience, flexibility and agility as well as environmental stewardship, with 73% and 69% of firms, respectively, expecting these skills to see rising demand.

The anticipated impact of macrotrends on the future of jobs is multi-faceted across both geographies and sectors. Specific industries are seeing points of convergence as well as distinct barriers to transformation and thus are prioritizing different workforce strategies in response to labour-market transformation by 2030. While 19 out of 22 global industries covered by the report identify skills gaps in the local labour market as the top barrier to industry transformation, each sector also anticipates distinct additional challenges in the next five years. In both the Government and Public sector and Medical and Healthcare sector, for example, organizational culture and resistance to change features as the most-selected barrier to transformation. In the Real Estate sector, inability to attract talent to the industry is seen as the key obstacle. Four sectors – Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing; Information and Technology Services; Oil and Gas; and Retail and Wholesale of Consumer Goods – view data and technical infrastructure as one of the key barriers. As shown in Figure 5.2, most industries see talent attractiveness at the industry level as a bigger issue than at the firm level over the 2025-2030 period (with Automotive and Aerospace, Education and Training,and Information Technology being the three exceptions).

The fact that Future of Jobs Survey respondents predominantly evaluate talent availability challenges as industry-level issues points to potentially untapped opportunities for industry stakeholders to collaborate and implement customized intra-industry or cross-industry solutions. However, employers across industries often exhibit different preferences over workforce strategies.

Reaching close to a consensus view, upskilling is selected as the top workforce strategy in 20 industries and ranks second in the remaining two: Electronics and Insurance and Pensions Management. Oil and Gas (96%) and Telecommunications (96%) are the industries most committed to upskilling, while a still significant 73% of Education and Training industry employers plan to focus on this strategy.

There exist more notable industry differences with regard to anticipated use of technologies to either fully automate processes and tasks or complement and augment the human workforce, as shown in Figure 5.3. While most industries aim to pursue a balance of both automation-focused and augmentation-focused workforce strategies over the 2025-2030 period, 87% of respondents in Electronics expect to focus on automating tasks, whereas only 48% plan to focus on workforce augmentation. Industries including Insurance and Pensions as well as Telecommunications exhibit a similar automation-to-augmentation gap. By contrast, sectors such as Healthcare, Agriculture, and Government report a higher preference for augmentation over automation.

Additionally, while hiring staff with new skills to meet emerging business needs features among the top three workforce strategies in 17 out of 22 sectors – possibly precipitating strong intra- and inter-industry competition over talent over the next five years – upskilling and transitioning existing staff from declining to growing job roles appears as an untapped opportunity: only the Automotive and Aerospace, Electronics, and Real Estate sectors currently aim to prioritize such job transitions as one of their top three workforce strategies by 2030.

By 2030, transformation of the Accommodation, Food, and Leisure industry is expected to be shaped by rising cost of living and a greater focus on labour and social issues. Increased digitalization – while still relevant for a significant 51% of respondents – appears as less central than in other industries. The focus placed by the industry on human experience and social issues is reflected in the human-technology frontier, as companies anticipate continued reliance on humans to predominantly deliver 43% of total work tasks over the next five years, higher than the global industry average. However, talent availability is a growing concern, with 59% of employers expecting hiring challenges to worsen. To respond to these emerging trends, firms are scaling up upskilling efforts, hiring for emerging skills and augmenting workforce with new technologies, while also aiming to improve the industry’s attractiveness by supporting employee health and well-being, improving wages and talent progression. About one third of companies is investing in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, focusing particularly on young talent (69%, compared to the 52% global industry average) and migrant workers (33%, compared to 20% globally).

The Advanced Manufacturing sector expects to undergo transformation shaped by increased investments to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to climate change and rising cost of living. Companies are anticipating the adoption of AI (81%), robotics (69%), and new materials and composites (63%, almost twice as many as in other industries). The industry predicts increasing demand for AI and big data skills, creative thinking, networks and cybersecurity skills, but also systems thinking, design and user experience, and resource management. To prepare for these changes, employers expect to be able to upskill 29% of workers in their current role, while they foresee a need for 15% of workers to be reskilled and re-deployed in the next five years. Fifty percent of firms are planning to tap into diverse talent pools to ease labour shortages, and 55% (more than in most other industries) plan to focus their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on workers aged 55 years and above.

Skills gaps are seen as the key barrier to transformation for businesses in the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing industry by 2030 (selected by 68% of respondents), followed by outdated regulations (51%, compared to the 39% global industry average) and insufficient data infrastructure (46%, compared to 32% globally). Climate mitigation and adaptation are key challenges highlighted by the industry, alongside rising cost of living. As employers address these challenges, they are planning to upgrade their workforce strategies by emphasizing upskilling and reskilling, hiring for new skills, and augmenting their workforce with technology. The top three skills on the rise are predicted to be resilience, flexibility and agility, technological literacy, and environmental stewardship, while skills related to AI and big data, networks, and cybersecurity are growing more slowly than in other industries. One-third of firms in the industry do not have a diversity, equity and inclusion programme, while 63% expect wages to account for a growing share of employers’ total revenues, with 92% intending to align wages with productivity and 46% aiming to reduce wage inequalities.

The Automotive and Aerospace sector stands out for its expectation regarding the significant impact that both climate mitigation and geoeconomic fragmentation might have on the industry in the next five years: 54% of respondents identify rising geopolitical tensions (compared to 34% across other industries) and 46% highlight increasing trade restrictions (compared to 23% in other industries) as key drivers of change. About one-fourth of industry players are evaluating options to reshore, nearshore or friendshore, and 16% to offshore – suggesting the possibility of greater supply chain re-organization than in other industries. These trends point to considerable transformation for most companies, with skills gaps in labour markets, organizational cultures and resistance to change identified as top barriers, alongside difficulties to attract talent to the industry (highlighted by 42% of respondents, compared to 37% in other industries) and limited access to investment capital (40%, compared to 26% in other industries). Employers are prioritizing workforce strategies that focus on upskilling, automating processes, and transitioning staff from declining to growing roles. Jobs on the rise are predicted to include Robotics Engineers and Data Analysts and Scientists.

In the Chemical and Advanced Materials sector, industry transformation is foreseen to be heavily influenced by investments in the green and digital transitions, leading to a projected increase in job roles for AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Business Development Professionals by 2030. The industry also anticipates a need for more AI and big data as well as environmental stewardship skills. However, the human factor is expected to pose a significant barrier for the industry, with skills gaps in the labour markets and talent attraction to the industry identified as the top two obstacles to industry transformation. To improve industry attractiveness, companies are planning to focus on talent progression and promotion processes, supporting employees’ health and well-being and offering higher wages. Employers suggest governments should support upskilling and reskilling and improve education systems, as well as provide wage subsidies and greater flexibility in wage setting. Nine in 10 companies in the industry plan to align wages closely with productivity while only 9% plan to review wage costs as part of cost- reduction exercises in the next five years.

Broadening digital access, increased focus on labour and social issues, and slower economic growth are expected to drive the transformation of the Education and Training sector by 2030. AI and big data skills as well as creative thinking are foreseen to grow in importance. Emerging job roles within the industry are anticipated to include AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Digital Transformation Specialists. Employers also place greater emphasis than in other industries on curiosity and lifelong learning, marketing and media skills and multilingualism. The industry is less focused than other sectors on upskilling and reskilling its own workforce (73%, compared to the 85% global industry average), while employers aim to improve attractiveness through better talent progression and promotion processes, higher wages, and supporting employee well-being.

By 2030, the landscape of the Electronics sector is expected to be shaped by increased climate mitigation efforts, continued digitalization of the economy, and aging and shrinking workforces, while the industry appears less concerned about economic cycles: only 25% of respondents anticipate significant impact from slower economic growth, compared to 42% across all sectors. With AI, robotics and energy technologies targeted for adoption, industry job growth is predicted for AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Electrotechnology Engineers. Talent availability is seen as a concern, with 61% of employers expecting hiring challenges to worsen but only 9% worried about talent retention (compared to 19% global industry average). Workforce strategies are planned to focus on automation, upskilling, and transitioning staff to growing roles. Other than public policy support on reskilling and upskilling, firms also call for improved transport infrastructure to enhance talent availability.

Over the next five years, climate mitigation is foreseen to be at the centre of the Energy Technology and Utilities sector, as companies plan to invest in greener technologies for energy generation, storage and distribution. As a result, Environmental Engineers, AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Renewable Energy Engineers are among the expected top-growing job roles in the sector. As employers aim to transform their business, industry players are particularly concerned about skills gaps in the labour market (81%, compared to 63% across all industries), alongside outdated or unflexible regulations (44%), organizational culture and resistance to change, and the industry’s capacity to attract talent (37%). To improve talent availability and industry attractiveness, businesses are planning on improving talent progression and promotion processes and investing in reskilling and upskilling programmes, for which respondents see a role for increased financial support from the public sector.

Increased digitalization is seen as the primary driver of transformation in the Financial Services and Capital Markets sector over the next five years, alongside adaptation to climate change and slower economic growth. The sector also anticipates being particularly exposed to AI, with only 5% of employers expecting no significant adoption of the technology by 2030 (compared to 14% across all industries). As a result, AI and big data skills, technological literacy and cybersecurity skills are estimated to be in high demand and the industry anticipates creation of new job roles for Big Data Specialists, AI and Machine Learning Specialists, and Security Management Specialists. To improve talent availability, the industry is planning on investing in reskilling and upskilling (71% of employers), supporting employees’ well- being (64%) and improving promotion processes (61%). Remote and hybrid work is also seen as a strategy to stay attractive for 58% of companies in the industry, and one out of two respondents is calling for changes to labour laws that support remote work (compared to 36% in other sectors). The industry is particularly advanced in its plans to remove degree requirements in favour of skills- based hiring approaches (28%, compared to 19% across all industries).

Employers in the Government and Public Sector identify organizational culture and resistance to change as the top barrier to transformation by 2030, as the sector plans to continue investing in digital and green transformation over the next five years. In line with global trends, AI and big data, Networks and cybersecurity and Technological literacy are the skills with highest perceived increasing importance, followed by Environmental stewardship and creative thinking skills. Skills gaps in the labour market and outdated regulatory frameworks are seen as potentially slowing down transformation of the sector. Overall, public employers are positive about future talent availability, with 52% of respondents expecting improvements in the next five years. To increase sector attractiveness and strengthen the sector talent base, 80% of employers are planning on enhancing talent progression and providing reskilling and upskilling programmes in the next five years.

Information and Technology Services companies are heavily focused on adopting advanced technologies by 2030, with anticipated near- universal uptake of AI and information processing (99%, compared to the 86% global industry average) and a strong focus also on quantum and encryption technologies (41%, compared to 12% globally). Growing job roles in the sector are foreseen to include Digital Transformation Specialists, Software and Applications Developers, and Sales and Marketing Professionals. Alongside AI and cybersecurity skills, the industry expects stronger emphasis on resilience, flexibility, and agility than most other sectors, while more employers expect demand for programming and design and user experience skills to decline than in other industries. Workforce strategies aim to prioritize upskilling and hiring talent with new skills to address emerging needs, alongside a higher tendency to reduce staff with less relevant skills (49%, compared to 41% in other industries) and offshore segments of the workforce (17%, compared to 8%).

By 2030, transformation of the Infrastructure sector is foreseen to be driven by a need to increase investments in carbon reduction, climate adaptation and digitalization. As a result, new job roles are expected to be created for Big Data Specialists and Organizational Development Specialists. Top skills on the rise are anticipated to be linked to AI and big data as well as networks and cybersecurity, and talent management skills are expected to grow in demand at a faster rate than the global industry average. Twenty-seven percent of employees in the sector are anticipated to be able to upskill in their current roles, with an additional 17% projected to be reskilled and redeployed. Almost 70% of respondents expect reskilling and upskilling to improve talent retention and enhance competitiveness and productivity of their company, with 50% planning to increase talent mobility through training programmes.

Over the next five years, evolution of the global economic outlook, and population dynamics across the world are predicted to drive industry transformation in the Insurance and Pensions Management sector. Continued adoption of digital technologies is also foreseen to transform the industry, with 97% of employers planning to accelerate automation of processes and tasks, which is significantly above the global industry average. The sector also expects higher-than- average levels of workforce augmentation, with 41% of total work tasks projected to be completed by human-technology collaboration by 2030. AI and big data, creative thinking, and technological literacy are seen as the top skills on the rise. While 42% of employers predict talent availability at the point of hiring to worsen, the industry is strongly focused on upskilling and reskilling: 91% of employers plan to upskill their workforce to adapt to evolving needs and – as a result – 82% expect talent development to improve in the next five years.

The digital transition, higher cost of living and an increasingly aging population are among the key drivers of transformation anticipated for Medical and Healthcare Services over the 2025-2030 period. In particular, aging population is highlighted as a key factor by 59% of companies in the industry, compared to 40% across all sectors. As they aim to adapt to these trends, firms cite challenges in terms of their own organizational culture and resistance to change, alongside outdated regulations and skills gaps in the labour market. Emerging job roles in the industry are expected to include Data Analysts and Scientists and AI and Machine Learning Specialists, with significant emphasis on AI and big data and technological literacy as the top skills increasingly in demand. While prioritizing business practices that support employee health and well-being (57%), providing effective reskilling and upskilling (63%), and offering competitive wages (49%) are seen as key workforce strategies, the industry also increasingly plans to tap into diverse talent pools.

With industry transformation by 2030 seen as predominantly shaped by climate adaptation and climate mitigation trends, the Mining and Metals sector is also mindful of growing restrictions on global trade and investment, with 55% of firms identifying this as a key trend (compared to 23% in other industries). Considering the green transition, 79% of industry players expect transformative impact from energy technologies, while AI is anticipated to be less ubiquitous (66%) than in other sectors. The use of autonomous technology to complete work tasks is projected to increase faster than in other industries. AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Mining, Petroleum and Other Extraction Workers are expected to see growing demand in the industry in the next five years, with AI and big data and environmental stewardship seen as leading skills on the rise. To attract and retain talent, firms are planning on prioritizing employee health and well-being (79%) and workplace safety (53%), as well as better articulating business purpose and impact (63%).

By 2030, the Oil and Gas sector expects to evolve and transform to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to climate change. According to 40% of respondents from the industry, industrial policy and government subsidies will also impact companies’ strategies in the next five years. As companies plan to adopt cleaner technologies they see increasing demand for skills in environmental stewardship, alongside AI and big data and technological literacy. New job roles are expected to be created for AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Data Analysts and Scientists. Anticipated workforce strategies in the sector are oriented toward upskilling, with 96% of firms planning on investing in workforce development (compared to 85% across all industries), as well as accelerating automation and augmenting their human workforce with new technologies.

Industry transformation in the Production of Consumer Goods sector is foreseen to be influenced in particular by rising cost of living and increased investments in carbon reduction over the next five years. Additionally, the industry predicts a need to take into account growing focus on emerging labour and social issues (highlighted by 58% of firms, compared to the 46% global industry average). Companies are anticipating actively adopting advanced technologies, with higher-than- average uptake of robots and autonomous systems (71%, compared to 58% across all sectors) and new materials and composites (61%, compared to 30%). However, 56% of employers expect talent availability to become more difficult in the next five years. To address talent shortages, companies are planning on supporting workers’ health and well- being (73%) and improving working hours (52%), while they see potential in public policy support with regard to flexibility in hiring and firing, flexibility in setting wages, and reforming immigration laws.

By 2030, firms in the Professional Services sector expect continued digitalization, rising cost of living and increased focus on labour and social issues to impact industry transformation. Workforce strategies anticipated for the sector emphasize upskilling, hiring talent with emerging skills, and augmenting the human workforce with new technologies. There is also expected to be a higher focus on reducing job roles with outdated skills, with 48% of companies envisaging prioritizing this approach (compared to 40% across all industries). One in five employers plan to move operations closer to their headquarter location through re- shoring or near-shoring. Big Data Specialists and AI and Machine Learning Specialists are among the job roles with the larges projected industry demand, while AI and big data, technological literacy, creative thinking, and cybersecurity are leading the list of skills seen as increasingly in use over the next five years.

Business cycle uncertainty, in terms of both economic growth and inflation, are expected to particularly impact the transformation of the Real Estate industry in the next five years. To react to an evolving landscape, companies plan to adapt their workforce strategies, prioritizing upskilling and reskilling and hiring new talent with relevant skills. Emerging job roles in the industry are foreseen to include AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Business Development Professionals. Demand for AI and big data skills, creative thinking, and curiosity and lifelong learning is projected to grow across all industry roles. Sixty percent of employers highlight the sector’s inability to attract talent as a key barrier to transformation by 2030. To increase industry attractiveness, a majority of companies intends to support employee health and well-being and provide better training opportunities, as only 34% of employees in the industry have currently undergone reskilling or upskilling, compared to a global industry average of 50%. One-third of employers are planning to offer higher wages and one in five plan to leverage diversity, equity and inclusion programmes: both shares are below the global industry averages of 50% and 39%, respectively.

Over the next five years, companies in the Retail and Wholesale of Consumer Goods sector expect industry transformation to be impacted by rising cost of living (68%, compared to 50% across all industries) and increased focus on labour and social issues (64%, compared to 46%). Talent shortages are seen as pronounced in the sector, with 58% of employers expecting talent availability to become more difficult by 2030 and 28% anticipating declines in talent retention. To adapt workforce strategies, companies are planning on prioritizing upskilling and reskilling of current workers, automation of tasks, and recruitment of talent with emerging skills. Forty-one percent of employers are considering transitioning existing staff from declining job roles to growth areas, presenting an under-utilized opportunity for the industry to invest in job transitions. Emerging job roles in the industry are anticipated to include AI and Machine Learning Specialists, Digital Marketing and Strategy Specialists, and Big Data Specialists.

With 37% of on-the-job skills used today expected to change by 2030, the Supply Chain and Transportation industry reports having already put significant effort into reskilling and upskilling, with 57% of employees having completed training programmes, above most other industries. As the industry transforms in response to increased digital access, climate mitigation and adaptation, and rising cost of living, growing job roles in the industry are foreseen to include Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers; Client Information and Customer Service Workers; and Car, Van and Motorcycle Drivers. Companies see increasing demand in skills such as AI and big data, technological literacy, and networks and cybersecurity. Analytical thinking is also identified as a priority, with 79% of firms expecting increasing its use, a higher share than in other industries. However, a majority of respondents regards the industry’s inability to attract talent as a potential risk that could stall transformation.

As digital access and connectivity continue to increase globally, they are expected to drive industry transformation in the Telecommunications sector over the next five years. Adoption of AI is anticipated to play a strong role in the future of the industry, while 40% of companies are also preparing to make greater use of space and satellite technologies. Growing job roles in the industry are expected to include AI and Machine Learning Specialists, Big Data Specialists, and Data Analysts and Scientists. To enable industry transformation, 96% of employers plan to upskill and reskill their workforce and 82% intend to increase automation of tasks within work processes. To attract talent, 48% of companies – twice the global industry average – plan to offer remote work across borders, while 22% of respondents are evaluating options for moving operations closer to their homebase through reshoring or nearshoring.