New Economy Skills 2025

2Call to action: developing, assessing and credentialing digital skills Strategic investment in digital skills must be embedded in workforce strategies, with clear frameworks for development, assessment and credentialing. Strategic investment in digital skills development has the potential to unlock new sources of growth, boost economies and create resilient, future- ready societies. Countries and organizations that prioritize digital upskilling will be better positioned to harness technological advances, adapt to rapid change and lead in the global economy. Conversely, inertia will only deepen disparities and slow progress.It is imperative for leaders across all organizations to go beyond rhetoric and commit to tangible investments in digital learning, robust assessment mechanisms and meaningful credentialing frameworks. This means embedding digital skills into the heart of workforce strategies, partnering with educators and policy- makers, and ensuring employees have access to lifelong learning opportunities that keep pace with technological evolution. Towards global guiding principles Developing, assessing and credentialling digital skills is complex and cannot rely on one-off exposure or static tests. Unlike traditional technical knowledge, digital skills are dynamic, context-dependent and rapidly evolving. Effective strategies demand authentic learning experiences, diverse perspectives and recognition systems that make these skills visible and portable. Yet, UNESCO research indicates that current systems are predominantly developed by commercial organizations, which tend to provide training resources and certifications aligned with proprietary vendor technology ecosystems, rather than adopting a comprehensive framework applicable across industries.To address these gaps, this chapter presents a global framework for digital skills that promotes coherence, integrity and alignment across education, industry and policy. Framework principles are designed to help business leaders shape workforce strategies, governments to understand and nurture digital talent, and educators create effective pathways for developing digital skills. Assessing digital skills Digital skills are complex and highly dependent on specific contexts. Proficiency in skills such as AI, data analytics or cybersecurity may vary across sectors due to differing industry requirements, organizational cultures and technological infrastructures. Although a broad spectrum of standardised assessment methods with recognized benchmarks for comparison and validation exist, the thorough evaluation of these competencies calls for a more nuanced and personalized approach. The following set of principles can help leaders set new standards for assessing digital skills. See the whole human : Assessment systems must capture the full picture of every individual, recognizing their demonstrated achievements and their ongoing growth. By combining industry benchmarks for consistency, performance-based assessments for real-world demonstration and reflective tools that document continuous growth, leaders can evaluate what learners know, how they think and how they evolve. Purpose-driven assessments measure outcomes, as well as the critical thinking, ethical reasoning, creativity and problem-solving displayed along the way, enabling personalized development and meaningful recognition of progress. New Economy Skills: Building AI, Data and Digital Capabilities for Growth 29