Skills Systems for Adults and Out-of-School Youth: A Technical Note

Jeremy Aaron Lebow, Eliana Carranza and Xiaoyan Liang

No 203272, The Social Policy and Labor Discussion Paper Series from The World Bank

Abstract: Amid rapid labor market changes and aging workforces, countries need institutionalized programs and services that support lifelong skill development and utilization, from the school-to-work transition through adulthood. This technical note presents a conceptual framework for building skills systems that promote lifelong learning and employment for adults and out-of-school youth, alongside a review of relevant literature and examples from countries at varying stages of economic development. The framework emphasizes the need for flexible, modular training pathways—including short-term, on-the-job, and foundational skills training—as well as career guidance and recognition of prior learning. It highlights the roles of diverse public and private training providers, employers, and government actors in financing, coordinating, and delivering services aligned with labor market needs. Effective systems tailor interventions to individuals’ career stages and profiles, leveraging labor market data and employer input. Governments play a key role in ensuring governance, sustainable financing, and labor market information systems. Many low- and middle-income countries are still in the early stages of developing lifelong skills systems and can leapfrog existing models by learning from global examples, including those from high-income countries, and adapting them to local contexts where private sector involvement is often more prominent. Institutionalizing adult training as a permanent function, rather than an ad hoc intervention, can enhance workforce adaptability, social mobility, and economic resilience in an evolving labor market.

Date: 2025-06-30
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