Note 1

Digital skills and the future of work: Challenges and opportunities in a post COVID-19 environment (WISIS Session 216, 29
July 2020)

Note

December 2020

Digital skills and the future of work:

Challenges and opportunities in a post
COVID-19 environment
WISIS1 Session 216, 29 July 2020

This note is based on the WISIS Forum 2020 Session “Digital skills and the future of work: challenges and opportunities
in a post COVID-19 environment” hosted online by ITU. The session was launched by Dr Eun-Ju Kim (Chief of the ITU’s
Innovation and Partnership Department) and Ms Sukti Dasgupta (Chief of the ILO’s Employment, Labour Market and
Youth Branch).

216, 29 July 2020

Key points

Connectivity is becoming a new human right. Access to decent jobs for all regardless of age, gender, race,
medical services, education, training and work location, disabilities, etc. is addressed within a fair and
opportunities increasingly depend on connectivity in coherent employment policy framework that avoids
today’s world. At the same time as a new type of inequalities.
inequality in the form of access to connectivity is
The digital economy (including digital jobs) require
widening the gap between those that have and those
different digital skills, which differ from country to
that have not.
country and from cohort to cohort, based on levels of
The pandemic has shown that it is disruptive, development, both economic and technological.
accelerating some trends that impact both short-term Therefore, the methods of assessments and
and long-term transformations, which puts pressure on implementation of digital skills upgrade suggested by
adapting “traditional” employment policies to the new ITU are adapted to each (national) situation.
circumstances. The ILO advocates for a human-centred
Data has revealed that people with low skills have
approach to these transformations.
been more impacted by the pandemic, and that
Many jobs are fully or partially being transformed into women have been more impacted than men have.
digital jobs, expanding the digital economy and related
A national e-governance structure can alleviate some
activities. As the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced an
negative effects of the COVID-19 crisis as it creates and
additional disruption in this trend, it is crucial that
enabling environment for its residents to explore work
opportunities.

1
WISIS: World Summit on the Information Society Forum
 Note 2
Digital skills and the future of work: Challenges and opportunities in a post COVID-19 environment (WISIS Session 216, 29
July 2020)

population is still not connected, and thus does not have

Challenges and opportunities, an
the option of teleworking or e-learning. A number of
introduction2 initiatives around the world, with and without the support
In the context of a changing world of work and education, of the UN, are being carried out to expand connectivity in
many are the challenges and opportunities. In 2019, order to mitigate exclusion from working life, education,
debates on the future of work were conducted at all levels training and society in general. Successful interventions
of society in the spirit that the world needed to address adopt a holistic approach to digital transformation that
the mega trends and disruptions that were transforming includes infrastructure and skills development.
the world, including debates on climate change, It is important to note that the COVID-19 crisis has
demographic changes, technology, geopolitical trends, reinforced the digital divide in education, where wealthy
etc. The arrival of the COVID-19 Pandemic further schools and learning institutions are able to continue with
exacerbated many of these trends/disruptions and education and the less wealthy cannot. This is forcing the
unleashed a series of mega shocks to society as a whole, hand of governments to address the digital divide and
and to work and education in particular. thus, in the best of cases, redirect support towards
Challenges are emerging on both the supply and the transforming a challenge into an opportunity.
demand side of work and education. On the supply side, The COVID-19 crisis has given an additional push to the
an increase in demand for appropriate skills (and notably ongoing trend of the digital transformation of the labour
digital skills) as well as access to infrastructure (and market. The ILO estimates that job losses could be
notably connectivity) and services; on the demand side, equivalent to 495 million jobs in the last quarter of 2020.3
the need for the creation of an enabling environment The ILO is continuously exploring the impact of the crisis
through adequate recovery packages conducive to decent in order to provide recommendations on the way ahead.
job creation and to successful implementation of lifelong The recommendations are framed in the ILO Centenary
learning. Declaration for the Future of Work.4 Adopted in 2019
It transpired during the WISIS session on “Digital skills and which highlights the necessity to continue developing and
the future of work” that the emergence a new type of implementing a human-centred approach to the future of
inequality in the form of access to connectivity is widening work.
the gap between those that have and those that have not. During the Pandemic, the ILO has endorsed a policy
This year, 2020, we are facing an unprecedented situation framework5 to stimulate the economy and employment;
which has brought to the surface a connectivity challenge. support enterprises, jobs and incomes; protect workers in
This challenge includes not only online connection but the workplace and rely on social dialogue for solutions. In
also the infrastructure needed for the proper functioning each one of these policy areas, there is enormous
of a digital economy (including adequate transport, potential for digital solutions. Social dialogue and
storage, etc.). collective bargaining, for example, can support the
Everyone in the global workforce, during the crisis, has development of better and decent work in the digital
resorted when possible to remote working or teleworking economy.
and homework. In addition, schools and training One of the messages of the WISIS session on “Digital skills
institutions around the world are also providing, where and the future of work” was that the challenge is not only
possible, remote teaching and e-learning. According to one of infrastructure development; expanding
ITU’s recent estimates, 4.1 billion people were using the connectivity is not enough. Each person needs to have
internet in 2019, which means that half the world’s access to the material/equipment/software and the skills

2
Maria Prieto, ILO Employment and Future of Work Specialist (and monitor of the WISIS session “Digital skills and the future of work: challenges and
opportunities in a post COVID-19 environment”).
3
ILO Monitor 6th Edition, September 2020. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/briefingnote/wcms_755910.pdf
4
ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of
Work.https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_norm/@relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_711674.pdf
5
A policy framework for tackling the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 crisis https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/coronavirus/impacts-and-
responses/lang--en/index.htm
 Note 3
Digital skills and the future of work: Challenges and opportunities in a post COVID-19 environment (WISIS Session 216, 29
July 2020)

to use the new technologies. Also, a digital economy 4. Estonia’s journey towards “full digitalization”. By
needs “hard” infrastructure to be able to work. This is Florian Marcus, e-Estonia Briefing Centre.
widely recognised and debated and a number of
initiatives, including some examples described in this 1. ITU’s Support to countries in
note, are being undertaken. Many such initiatives reach
out to populations that had been left behind prior to the addressing the digital skills
pandemic and are today at risk. challenge – a tailor made approach7
As the world is transforming towards a digital society, ITU considers digital skills as a very important component
countries are urged to look at their skills needs and of the Organization's mandate.
anticipate future skills and labour demand to create
To deliver on this mandate, the organisation follows two
appropriate job opportunities though adequate
impact pathways: (i) Development and delivery of
infrastructure. Strengthening the link between digital
specialized training programmes and capacity
skills and digital jobs is critical, as highlighted in the joint
development workshops for ICT professionals, in
work of ITU and ILO under the Global Initiative on Decent
partnership with centres of excellence and other UN
Jobs for Youth (in Africa, where the challenge is greatest,
agencies, as well as partners from the private sector and
an initiative on digital jobs for youth was launched6) and
academia; (ii) development of knowledge resources and
ILO’s work on skills for the future.
delivery of digital skills training at basic and intermediate
Creating decent jobs for all regardless of age, gender, level, promoting skills development for digital inclusion
race, location, disabilities, etc. within a fair policy and producing publications focusing on cross-cutting
framework that avoids inequalities using the digital themes. This includes training delivered through the
transformation of society is a opportunity to build a better Digital Transformation Centres as well as development of
and safer tomorrow. toolkits and publications.8 With the advent of COVID-19 it
It is also important to point out that we need to constantly became apparent that there was need to accelerate
update our knowledge of the ongoing digital interventions which have digital skills development at the
transformation. Research and data collection can feed into core. This acceleration requires a comprehensive needs
policy formulation and implementation and turn assessment. In order to assist countries to undertake such

digitalization from a challenge into an opportunity. needs assessments and make them as comprehensive as
they should be, the ITU developed the Digital Skills
The following four presentations made during the Assessment Guidebook which was launched in May 2020.
WISIS session on “Digital skills and the future of work:
Challenges and opportunities in a post COVID-19 ● The first chapter of the Guidebook is a review of
environment” are summarized below: existing skills assessment frameworks, with examples
of countries that have already undertaken national
1. ITU’s Support to countries in addressing the digital digital skills assessments.
skills challenge – a tailor-made approach. By Halima ● The second chapter is on assessment of current
Letamo, ITU national skills levels or the current supply side of skills.
2. Are labour market policies adapting to meet This chapter includes guidance on how to choose
challenges and opportunities, especially for youth, governance models. It also offers guidance on how to
and what are the emerging skills needed? By Juan compile an inventory of existing data, on how to collect
Chacaltana, ILO and analyse and disseminate data. This chapter focuses
3. A massive introduction of telework has changed the on what is available in the country at the time of
way we work and has long-term implications. By assessment.
Jennifer Brooks, Microsoft ● Chapter three looks at assessment of skills needs and
gaps, which constitutes the demand side. This chapter

6
A joint programme to boost decent jobs and enhance skills for youth in Africa’s digital economy https://www.ilo.org/africa/whats-
new/WCMS_758887/lang--en/index.htm
7
Halima Letamo, ITU Capacity and Skills Development Officer.
8
https://academy.itu.int/
 Note 4
Digital skills and the future of work: Challenges and opportunities in a post COVID-19 environment (WISIS Session 216, 29
July 2020)

includes guidance on how to undertake desk reviews, type of jobs generated. Many concerns were expressed,
appropriate methods to respond to data gaps and for example, about new forms of work and their quality.
different methods of data gathering and analysis,
The pandemic has generated additional disruptive
including focus group discussions, sectoral studies,
changes in the labour markets. Not only in the short term,
graduate surveys and tracer studies. The chapter also
associated with the responses during the periods of
provides guidance of how to use the data from Chapter
lockdown and/or reopening phases, but also in the long
2 (skills supply) and data from Chapter 3 (skills
term. For example, in general, supply-side restrictions
needs/demand) to conduct gap analysis.
generate both winners and losers which will have long-
● Chapter Four concentrates on forecasting future skills
term consequences for the labour market and its
requirements. It provides guidance on how to review
structure. In addition, we are observing a sudden
resources to understand global and regional
increase, a discontinuity, in the use of technology-based
technology trends, and on how to conduct anticipation
solutions such as e-commerce, telework, etc. that will also
exercises. This chapter gives guidance on how to use
have long-term consequences such as, for example, in the
the information to make strategic decisions and to plan
skills content of labour demand. Focusing on the latter,
ahead.
the graph below uses data from Google Trends and
● The appendix contains a list of knowledge resources on
focuses on searches such as digital skills or digital jobs.
skills assessments.
What can be we observed is an increasing trend in the
The Digital Skills Assessment Guidebook is designed to interest in digital jobs and digital skills in the last decade,
provide as much flexibility as possible. It was designed and a gap between digital jobs and digital skills as labour
with the understanding that each country has different and educational markets evolve at different speeds. The
digital skills needs and requirements based on its level of latter are usually slower. Concerning the term telework,
development, both economic and technological. the word of the moment, what was observed was also
Therefore, the methods of assessments that the country expected. The trend in searches was almost flat in the last
chooses will depend on the availability of resources and decade, except in 2020, when interest in it jumps sharply
their chosen method of stakeholder engagement. due to the imposed pandemic lockdown and containment
measures imposed to combat the pandemic.
ITU encourages countries to use the Guidebook and to
facilitate policymakers’ engagement with relevant Worldwide: Google Trends search for “digital jobs”,
partners, including the private sector, non-governmental “digital skills” and “telework”
organizations and academia to craft assessment
approaches that match their needs and goals.9

2. Are labour market policies

adapting to meet challenges and
opportunities, especially for youth,
and what are the emerging skills
needed?10
We are currently witnessing tremendous transformations
in the labour markets. Before the pandemic, the key topic
with respect to the employment policy discussion was the
Source: Own elaboration based on Google Trends (27.07.2020). Annual
future of work, and particular attention was given to the
averages. (*) Average 1 Jan-27 July
role of new technologies, the risk of losing jobs and/or the

9
For more information on the Guidebook: https://academy.itu.int/main-activities/research-publications/digital-skills-insights/digital-skills-assessment-
guidebook
10
Juan Chacaltana, ILO Employment Policy Specialist
 Note 5
Digital skills and the future of work: Challenges and opportunities in a post COVID-19 environment (WISIS Session 216, 29
July 2020)

Trends like the ones shown above have triggered Worldwide: global GDP growth and lifespan of the
discussion on the possibility that the future is already current generation of youth
here, at least with regard to technologies. Many questions
are thus raised, including: The current generation of youth (15-24)

● Are these changes here to stay?

● Is this going to be temporary?
● Is this going to be permanent?
● Are all jobs “teleworkable”?
● For whom is this happening?

Not for everybody, of course, as was mentioned above,

which will have implications for the increase in inequality,
as there are broad regional and individual disparities
across the world.

The discussion on how to increase digital skills in the

labour market has acquired a sense of urgency as the
uncertainty about COVID -19 remains. This discussion is
particularly relevant for youth. World GDP Growth rates. Source: IMF (*) June estimate

The current generation of youth has a digital advantage, The discussion on the effects of the lockdown on the
relative to other generations, at least in those places youth looks at how “scars” will follow these generations
where there is access to these technologies. They are even through decades, probably throughout their entire lives.
more participative than other generations, via social There is the issue of education and loss of general and
media, although not necessarily via traditional means of specific skills for those that are still in education. In
representation (Chacaltana and Prieto, 201911). On the addition, of course, the effects of the current crisis in
other hand, however, as we see in the graph below, the shaping lifetime expectations.
current generation of youth, born between 1995 and
In the short term, the immediate effect is on the
2005, have grown up in a period of multiple and diverse
transitions that all young generations go through: the
shocks. A financial crisis and now the pandemic, all of
reproductive transition, the educational transition, the
which have created new and increasing uncertainties.
school-to-work or to-business transition. The literature
Thus, there is a question on how young people shape their
shows that the first job in a person’s life is key in
future expectations of life and work trajectories.
influencing lifetime trajectories (Chacaltana, et al., 201912).

In summary, before the pandemic we were discussing

disruptive forces related to the future of work. Now, the
pandemic itself turns out to be highly disruptive,
accelerating some trends that imply both short-term but
also important long-term transformations, which puts a
lot of pressure on adapting traditional employment
policies to the new circumstances. The ILO advocates for a
human-centred approach to these transformations.

11
Chacaltana J and Maria Prieto (2019). Evolution and future of youth employment policies. Global debates and their implications for Latin America. In:
Bertranou F and Marinakis A (eds). Reflections on work. Perspectives from the southern cone of Latin America on the occasion of the ILO Centenary.
ILO. Santiago de Chile.
12
Chacaltana Juan, Sara Elder and Miso Lee (2019). Youth transitions and lifetime trajectory. Employment Working Paper 253. ILO Geneva.
 Note 6
Digital skills and the future of work: Challenges and opportunities in a post COVID-19 environment (WISIS Session 216, 29
July 2020)

and young girls that can have a disadvantage in the digital

3. A massive introduction of
economy due to lack of access.
telework has changed the way we
Before COVID-19 almost a billion people were going to
work and has long-term need to learn new digital skills. In Microsoft’s commitment
implications13 to the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth (hosted by
the ILO), specific actions on digital skills and youth is taken
There is a before and an after COVID-19 in the way we
in fragile situations. The latest UNHCR report14 shows that
work. Rapidly advancing technology is creating great
more than 85 per cent of the world’s refugees live in
opportunities, but it is also raising challenges. These
developing or least developed countries. , only 31 per
advances, for example in artificial intelligence and cloud
cent of child refugees attend secondary school rarely
computing, are reshaping our global economy and
finish it, and only three per cent access tertiary education.
transforming how we live, how we work, and how we
learn. On top of the fragile humanitarian situation and the lack
of opportunities for livelihoods comes COVID-19, which
New technologies have tremendous potential, including
has two sides of a coin. On one side, it has accelerated
how we address society's biggest challenges. However,
digital transformation in three months that would have
the rapid pace of this change is creating challenges in
normally taken years, which provides a tremendous
itself, especially for those who are not advancing as
opportunity to expand digital jobs. On the other side, the
rapidly in the adoption of these new technologies and the
situations in refugee camps, like in Kakuma in Kenya, the
digital skills required to match the changes. Entire
lockdown has closed programmes on digital skills for
communities still lack access to affordable connectivity
young people who have no connectivity and cannot go to
and its benefits, which make it impossible for many to
centres. As a response, UNHCR has developed creative
address the need for learning the required skills, and
initiatives such as lending hardware and connectivity
notably digital skills.
packages to ensure a certain continuity.
One thing that has been very clear during COVID-19 has
Microsoft has recognised the urgency of the pandemic in
been how connectivity has become the new human right.
its humanitarian action and made resources available to
The opportunity of access in telemedicine or accessing
tap into new opportunities. Using the information from
opportunities for education depend on connectivity in
LinkedIn to assess the most important and most in
today’s pandemic situation.
demand digital skills opportunities and learning pathways
Many refer to recovery and the before and after situation. to ensure digital jobs.
We should however think of this situation as a new normal
Data has revealed that people with less skills have been
since we do not see any immediate changes in the
more impacted by the pandemic. Women and
sanitary situation in the horizon. Another important
underrepresented communities have been even more
realization is that innovation cannot come at the expense
impacted than others. Microsoft takes very seriously its
of our core values and core needs. Thus, Microsoft’s aims
commitment to create a future where every person
at empowering every person and every organization to
accesses skills, knowledge and opportunities to succeed in
achieve more. Specifically, as it concerns the humanitarian
this new digital economy. In that commitment Microsoft
approach to digital inclusion and livelihoods, Microsoft
aims to ensure that 25 million people can acquire those
tries to focus on and ensure reaching those underserved
digital skills needed.15 Not only for the future of work, but
by benefits and opportunities. These include populations
also during these difficult times triggered by the COVID-19
such as refugees, displaced people, and especially women
pandemic.

13
Jennifer Brooks, Microsoft.
14
Coming together for Refugee Education. https://www.unhcr.org/publications/education/5f4f9a2b4/coming-together-refugee-education-education-
report-2020.html
15
Microsoft launches initiative to help 25 million people worldwide acquire the digital skills needed in a COVID-19 economy.
https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/06/30/microsoft-launches-initiative-to-help-25-million-people-worldwide-acquire-the-digital-skills-needed-in-a-
covid-19-economy/
 Note 7
Digital skills and the future of work: Challenges and opportunities in a post COVID-19 environment (WISIS Session 216, 29
July 2020)

In its humanitarian work on COVID-19, Microsoft will

4. Estonia’s journey towards “full
accelerate the work with UNICEF on making available the
“Learning Passport”16 for remote learning opportunities digitalization”18
for 30 million children that are on the move Estonia became independent (again) in 1991, this time
(geographically displaced), as well as for the one and a from the Soviet Union. The country was not rich, nor did it
half billion children that have been displaced from have people that would want to work in the public sector.
education. It has a relatively small population in a relatively big
The long-term implications of COVID -19 are not yet clear country. The population density is around the same as
to all. None can really understand the full picture. Canada and the US, with big cities but also very little in
However, it is clear that we need to continue to work also between. That was a challenge for Estonia.
post-COVID - 19 to ensure that remote jobs are possible, In 1994 the Government took the decision to create the
that parents and families are able to continue to work first digital strategy, which was passed by Parliament. For
from home, and to understand further skills and the following five years, Estonia wrote legislation. For
opportunities on which platforms for digital jobs and example: to allow data exchange between different
digital skills can be accelerated. government authorities, which authority has the right to
There is no perfect recipe that fits every country and every ask for what data from whom, and so on.
situation. Partnerships are needed to address all the The next thing was the creation of a digital identity for
needs and demands. A good example is “Giga”17, a every single person living in the country, both citizens and
partnership with ITU, UNICEF. Another good example of residents.
collaboration is the mentioned Learning Passport already
deployed in 10 countries with ongoing plans to reach an An Estonian ID card
additional 40 countries. These countries want to
implement the Learning Passport as a solution that
bridges children’s and young people's education, in a
pandemic situation, but also to enable people who are on
the move to continue their higher education and become
lifelong learners. People who are on the move, who have
been displaced from education, or who also have had to
stop their education, can use the Learning Passport to
continue formal education, a certification that we all need.

It is important to note that there is a sense of urgency; a

billion people have no digital skills, and no connectivity. It This card is not just an ID card, it is also a medical
will take collective and massive action to ensure the insurance card and a driver's licence, and many other
livelihoods of a billion people that were already in very things. It is used by private sector companies to register
fragile situations, to transform the world during this but could be also used as gym membership card, or a
global pandemic, and come together to find global bookstore loyalty card. All these different entities can sign
solutions. up to the same system and thus making the card much
more user-friendly and accessible to those who are
There is therefore an urgent need to disseminate
interested in using services through that card.
knowledge, investments and all our collective intelligence
to accelerate this digital transformation and change the In Estonia, 96 per cent of income tax declarations are filed
way we work, the way we study, and the way we manage online. It does not matter if you are 18 and starting your
inclusive opportunities for education and livelihoods. first job or 65 years old, about to retire. Most people do
their tax declaration online because it is simple.

16
https://www.learningpassport.org/
17
https://www.unicef.org/innovation/giga
18
Florian Marcus, e-Estonia Briefing Centre, Estonia.
 Note 8
Digital skills and the future of work: Challenges and opportunities in a post COVID-19 environment (WISIS Session 216, 29
July 2020)

How did Estonia get people to use these services taxes, etc. Almost 100 per cent of companies created last
regardless of age and education level? Education played a year were created online.
big role. In the 1990s and 2000s, the Government funded
This high level of e-governance supporting Estonians and
training for its population through big circus tents,
their economy during COVID-19. In Estonia, over the last
travelling the entire country from village to village to teach
three years, in the first quarter of each year, the average
basic digital skills. Today, most people know how to work
unemployment rate was somewhere between five and six
the Internet.
per cent. Last year it was 4.7 per cent and this year, 2020,
Estonia has a very strong focus on IT studies in the higher it is 5 per cent as people have been creating new
education sector. Every 10th university student studies IT, companies, creating new side incomes and so on, which
which is a good average. The country’s lifelong learning supports the formalization of labour and the economy as
strategy is an important policy as the current a whole.
programming language might be the best thing right
Digital signature in Estonia
now, but in three years, there is going to be something
faster, something better, something more convenient and
old skills are no longer needed, thus lifelong learning is a
necessity in today’s world.

As a consequence, some important questions that are

now debated are: Is an entire transformation of the
educational sector thus need? Do we still need PhD
degrees? Maybe for some things, but for most situations,
people do not. Do we still need a Master’s degree? This
might be the last generation that really wants to do a
Master’s degree as they might prefer a series of online
courses and micro masters.

In Estonia, 99 per cent of government services are digital

based. For example, every angle of health care is digital, The above illustration shows how digital signatures work
whether it is occupational health or personal health care. in Estonia. These are legally binding, so it does not matter
Family issues such as marriage, early childhood and whether one has a paper signature or an online signature.
pregnancy issues, elderly people, pets, registration of a They are equally valid and the Government guarantees
death or funeral, etc. their security with several million euros. The digital

Estonia also facilitates the establishment of a company signature alone saves two per cent of GDP in Estonia every
year.
online, in 30 minutes, the payment of invoice, payment of

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