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WEF launches major global reskilling initiative
Reskilling Revolution programme will prepare workers for the economy of tomorrow in light of factors like AI, geo-economic shifts and the energy transition.
At a glance
Who: World Economic Forum (WEF).
What: WEF has launched the Reskilling Revolution initiative, a major global reskilling programme which aims to reach more than 850 million people.
Why: To prepare workers for the economy of tomorrow set against the backdrop of AI, geo-economic shifts and the energy transition rapidly reshaping global labour markets.
When: It launched the initiative at its Annual Meeting in Davos last week.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) announced a major global reskilling programme at its Annual Meeting in Davos last week, which aims to reach more than 850 million people.
The Reskilling Revolution initiative will help WEF near its target of equipping one billion people with better access to skills, education and economic opportunities.
WEF said with artificial intelligence (AI), geo-economic shifts and the energy transition rapidly reshaping global labour markets, preparing workers for the economy of tomorrow is an urgent global priority.
Keeping workers employable
The new commitments span corporate pledges, university-employer partnerships and national skills accelerators focused on redesigning how people enter the workforce, transition between jobs and remain employable.
Among the Reskilling Revolution commitments, more than 25 technology companies have pledged to support 120 million workers with AI access, skills training and job pathways. In parallel, India launched a new national skills accelerator, aiming to rapidly scale industry-aligned training and improve employability for millions of workers.
“The global economy is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades. But the future of work is not fixed. How it unfolds for workers depends on opportunities for learning, support for job transitions and backing for entrepreneurship,” said Saadia Zahidi, managing director, World Economic Forum. “Today’s announcements represent decisive action – mobilising education providers, employers and governments to ensure the future of work delivers opportunity for all.”
“The global economy is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades. But the future of work is not fixed. How it unfolds for workers depends on opportunities for learning, support for job transitions and backing for entrepreneurship”
The Reskilling Revolution initiative has mobilised commitments to reach 856 million people globally by 2030, putting it on track to achieve its goal of providing one billion people with improved access to education, skills and economic opportunity. The initiative works with 79 economies and 18 industries and is supported by more than 350 organisations and over 35 CEOs.
New commitments come from companies such as Adobe, Cornerstone OnDemand, Cisco, JD.com, SAP, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Snowflake, Wipro and Workday.
Across all Reskilling Revolution commitments, the majority focus on AI and digital skills, emphasise human-centric capabilities and prioritise entry-level roles most vulnerable to disruption.
Leading technology companies pledged to collectively support 120 million workers by 2030 through the World Economic Forum’s Reskilling Revolution initiative.
The pledge brings together companies including Cognizant, Accenture, Cisco, SAP, IBM, Salesforce, HP, Dell and e& from the US, Europe, the Middle East, India and Japan. It focuses on expanding free access to AI and digital technologies, equipping workers with AI, digital and human skills, and creating pathways to digital careers for individuals without formal technical backgrounds.
The launch of a new skills accelerator in India strengthens a global network of 45 national accelerators that have collectively supported 14.8 million people. These accelerators bring together government, business and civil society to translate global insights into country-specific action on employment, skills development and inclusive economic growth. The India Accelerator will focus on addressing barriers to equitable skilling.
Across the network, national efforts focus on developing skills for the new economy in areas such as human-centric capabilities, AI and digital technologies, sustainability, trade and vocational pathways and business fundamentals. Two new reports explore how human skills are becoming the primary differentiator as AI advances and reveal uneven regional preparedness in AI and digital skills development.
New research developed with PwC and surveying 9,000 entry-level workers in 48 countries reveals widespread uncertainty about skills relevance and job security as AI reshapes traditional career entry points. To address this, the Forum launched a Learning-to-Earning Sandbox connecting universities, employers and governments to pilot models integrating paid work experience with skills development.
During the Annual Meeting 2026, nine platform economy companies launched shared principles for responsible platform-enabled work, addressing access to opportunity, earnings and benefits, and safe working conditions.
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How will AI integration improve digital skills training in the Reskilling Revolution?What role do national skills accelerators play in enhancing workforce employability?How can partnerships between universities and employers support job transitions effectively?In what ways does the Reskilling Revolution address entry-level job vulnerabilities?How does the initiative promote equitable access to skills amid the energy transition?AI and Machine Learningdemographic changeeconomic developmentGovernance and CitizenPeople and SkillsRenewables
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