Putting Skills First: A Framework for Action

The report argues that shifting from degree-based to skills-based hiring and development can unlock hidden talent pools and address critical shortages in the "jobs of tomorrow." It provides a framework consisting of two key enablers—embracing a skills-first culture and adopting a common skills language—and five action areas covering skills mapping, hiring, training, lifelong learning, and internal redeployment. The analysis suggests that over 100 million people across 18 studied economies are currently under-utilizing their skills, and that a skills-first approach could significantly increase the available talent pool and improve organizational productivity.

• A skills-first approach focuses on a person's competencies rather than formal qualifications, which can democratize access to jobs for those without degrees or traditional job histories.
• Severe talent shortages are projected for "jobs of tomorrow," including a needed 66% increase in green roles by 2030, 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity roles, and a shortfall of 15 million health workers globally.
• Adopting a skills-first approach can significantly expand the candidate pool; LinkedIn research suggests the pool of potential candidates can increase by nearly 10 times on average.
• Organizations with a skills-first culture are 63% more likely to achieve key business and workforce outcomes, such as meeting financial targets, compared to those without such practices.
• The energy transition will create approximately 14 million new jobs in sustainable energy supply by 2030, while fossil fuel production may lose 5 million positions, necessitating the transfer of skills from oil and gas professionals.
• The proposed framework for action identifies two primary enablers: embracing a skills-first culture and policies, and adopting a common skills language (taxonomy).
• The framework outlines five action areas: identifying skills needs/gaps, articulating skills in job descriptions, co-developing training programmes, boosting lifelong learning, and creating pathways for redeployment.
• Implementing a skills-first culture is a long-term process, with consultations suggesting it may take 24 to 36 months to secure the necessary stakeholder buy-in and technology partners.

APA

World Economic Forum (2023). Putting Skills First: A Framework for Action. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_CNES_Putting_Skills_First_2023.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Putting Skills First: A Framework for Action. 2023. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_CNES_Putting_Skills_First_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Putting Skills First: A Framework for Action |date=May 2023 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_CNES_Putting_Skills_First_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2023putting, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Putting Skills First: A Framework for Action}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_CNES_Putting_Skills_First_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }