Upskilling and Investing in People

The report explores two key themes related to upskilling and investing in people in government:

Theme 1: Investing in the public as a critical resource. This theme focuses on the importance of equipping citizens and residents with the skills needed to adapt to technological progress and digital transformation. The report highlights initiatives that teach skills in areas like information and data literacy, digital content creation, and socio-emotional skills critical for adapting to the demands of the future of work and society.

Case studies from Canada and Finland are used to illustrate initiatives that support upskilling efforts. CanCode is an innovative upskilling effort from the Government of Canada designed to prepare young Canadians for careers in STEM fields, while "Elements of AI" is a free online course from the University of Helsinki that teaches AI concepts, societal implications, and building AI systems.

Theme 2: Upskilling the public service to unlock the potential of government. This theme highlights the importance of equipping public officials with the skills needed to design and implement innovative policies and services for a 21st century world. The report includes a case study from Latvia, where the government created the initiative "An Official Shadows an Entrepreneur" to help public officials gain new insights into the operations and experiences of business owners, and learn new user-centered and collaborative skills.

The report provides recommendations for governments to take their upskilling efforts to new levels, including making upskilling a priority mission, ensuring an equal focus on environment and structures, and taking extra measures to ensure equitable access to opportunities. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of investing in the skills and capacities of citizens and public officials to ensure that countries can remain competitive in the modern economy and meet the changing and growing demands of their people.