Are your skills ready for 2030? What the World Economic Forum says about AI and the future of work
- GBS
- Jul 29
- 7 min read
Artificial intelligence is changing how people work, how organisations structure jobs and how employees build their careers.
Some tasks are being automated. Others are being redesigned around collaboration between people and technology. New roles are emerging while established roles are gaining new digital, analytical and decision-making requirements.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 indicates that this shift will affect people across occupations, industries and career levels. Its findings raise a practical question for every professional and organisation:
Are your current skills preparing you for the world of work in 2030?
Global Business Solutions has developed the complimentary Future Skills 2030 Readiness Assessment to help people answer that question.
The online assessment takes approximately three minutes and provides an indicative view of your readiness across digital capability, adaptability, leadership, decision-making and organisational change.
How much will work change by 2030?
The World Economic Forum surveyed more than 1,000 employers representing over 14 million workers across 55 economies for its Future of Jobs Report 2025. The report examines how technology, economic uncertainty, demographic changes, geoeconomic pressures and the transition towards greener economies may affect jobs and skills between 2025 and 2030.
Employers expect structural changes in the labour market to affect approximately 22% of existing jobs by 2030. The World Economic Forum projects that 170 million roles could be created while 92 million could be displaced, producing a net increase of 78 million jobs.
This does not mean that work is simply disappearing. It means that the mix of available jobs, the tasks within those jobs and the capabilities expected from workers are changing.
A person may remain in the same occupation while the technology, processes and judgement required to perform that job change considerably.
Nearly four in ten core skills may change
One of the report’s main findings is that employers expect 39% of workers’ existing core skills to change by 2030.
This level of change makes continuous learning a normal part of working life rather than something reserved for a promotion, qualification or career transition.
The report estimates that, out of every 100 workers:
Only 41 out of a 100 may not require significant training before 2030;
29 may need upskilling to continue in their existing roles;
19 may need reskilling before moving into different roles within their organisations;
11 may require training but may not have access to it.
This means that 59 out of every 100 workers may require some form of upskilling or reskilling before 2030.
For organisations, the issue is already affecting business plans. 63% of surveyed employers identified skills gaps as a major barrier to organisational transformation.
AI skills are growing fastest
AI and big data sit at the top of the World Economic Forum’s list of fastest-growing skills for the period to 2030.
They are followed by networks and cybersecurity and technological literacy. Demand is also expected to rise for creative thinking, curiosity, lifelong learning, resilience, flexibility and agility.
The skills expected to grow fastest include:
AI and big data;
networks and cybersecurity;
technological literacy;
creative thinking;
resilience, flexibility and agility;
curiosity and lifelong learning;
leadership and social influence;
talent management;
analytical thinking;
environmental stewardship.
The future of work therefore requires more than the ability to use a new application or AI platform.
Employees need to understand how technology can support their work. They must assess the quality of AI-generated information, recognise risks, apply judgement and decide when human involvement is required.
Managers need to understand how AI changes work allocation, performance expectations, employee development and decision-making.
Executives need to consider the effect of AI on strategy, operating models, workforce planning, governance and organisational capability.
Human capabilities remain central
Analytical thinking remains the most frequently identified core skill in the World Economic Forum’s research, with seven out of ten surveyed employers regarding it as essential.
Resilience, flexibility and agility follow, together with leadership and social influence. Creative thinking and motivation and self-awareness also rank among the leading core capabilities.
This combination matters.
AI can generate text, process information, identify patterns and recommend possible actions. People still need to frame the right problem, assess context, communicate decisions, manage relationships and take responsibility for outcomes.
The workers who are prepared for 2030 are therefore unlikely to be those who rely entirely on technology or those who avoid it. They will be those who can work effectively with technology while applying sound judgement and human capability.
Entry-level work is already being reconsidered
The effect of AI is particularly relevant for emerging professionals and early-career employees.
Entry-level roles have traditionally allowed people to gain experience through research, administration, analysis, drafting, customer support and other foundational tasks. Many of these tasks can now be assisted or completed by AI.
The World Economic Forum’s 2026 report on AI and entry-level work states that more than one in three young workers globally are employed in occupations with medium to high exposure to AI-driven task change.
This creates a difficult question for employers. When AI completes more junior tasks, how will new employees gain the experience required to develop judgement, problem-solving ability and professional confidence?
The World Economic Forum identifies four areas requiring attention:
access to entry-level work
the design of entry-level jobs
organisational talent pipelines
the relationship between education systems and workplace requirements
Organisations may need to redesign early-career roles so that employees use AI while still gaining practical experience, feedback, exposure to decisions and opportunities to build interpersonal skills.
Skills readiness differs by career stage
Future readiness does not mean the same thing for every worker.
An emerging professional may need to build digital confidence, communication skills, learning agility and the ability to work responsibly with AI.
A manager may need to focus on coaching, delegation, team development, performance management and leading employees through technological change.
An executive may need to consider workforce strategy, organisational learning, talent pipelines, responsible AI adoption and the long-term design of work.
For this reason, the Future Skills 2030 Readiness Assessment offers three different pathways:
Emerging professionals and early-career talent
This pathway considers the capabilities required to enter the workplace, adapt to changing expectations and build a sustainable career foundation.
Managers and team leaders
This pathway considers readiness to guide employees, develop teams, make decisions and manage change.
Executives and organisational leaders
This pathway considers strategic leadership, workforce planning and the organisation’s readiness for changes driven by AI and other forces.
Five areas of future-skills readiness
The assessment provides an indicative view across five areas drawn from the future-skills themes identified by the World Economic Forum.
Digital and AI readiness
This considers how confidently and responsibly a person uses digital tools, data and AI in their work.
Learning agility and adaptability
This considers a person’s willingness and ability to learn, adjust and apply new knowledge as work requirements change.
Leadership and influence
This considers communication, self-awareness, collaboration, accountability and the ability to guide or influence others.
Strategic thinking and decision-making
This considers how people analyse information, solve problems, assess consequences and make decisions under uncertainty.
Workforce and organisational readiness
This considers how prepared leaders and organisations are to develop people, redesign work and respond to changes in skills and technology.
Why GBS created the Future Skills 2030 Readiness Assessment
Global Business Solutions works with individuals, teams and organisations across workplace development, leadership, digital intelligence and organisational capability.
Through this work, we have seen that discussions about AI often begin with technology when they should begin with people.
Before selecting a course, introducing a new platform or designing an organisation-wide learning programme, people need to understand their current position.
The Future Skills 2030 Readiness Assessment was created as a practical starting point. It helps participants reflect on the capabilities they already have and the areas that may require further attention.
It is complimentary, takes approximately three minutes and provides:
an indicative readiness score;
a view of current strengths;
identified development priorities;
feedback based on the selected career pathway;
possible areas for further learning.
The assessment is not a psychometric evaluation, professional certification or formal measure of job performance. It is a self-reflection and development tool based on themes identified in the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025.
How ready are you for 2030?
Preparing for 2030 starts with understanding where you are now.
Complete the complimentary Future Skills 2030 Readiness Assessment to identify your strengths, examine possible capability gaps and consider where to focus your development.
The assessment takes approximately three minutes and consists of five questions.
Turning your results into a development plan
Once you have identified your development priorities, the next step is choosing learning that responds to those needs.
GBS can assist individuals and organisations with suitable development options. These may include access to Harvard ManageMentor®, a leadership and management development solution within the Harvard Business Impact® portfolio. GBS provides access to Harvard ManageMentor® in South Africa through its partnership with Connemara.
To explore the platform, request a demonstration or discuss possible learning pathways, visit the GBS Harvard ManageMentor® page or contact Kerry de Klerk at sdf@globalbusiness.co.za. As an SDF herself, Kerry can assist with platform demonstrations, enrolment and course selection.
Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.
*The Future Skills 2030 Readiness Assessment was developed by Global Business Solutions using future-skills themes identified in the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025. It does not constitute an assessment or endorsement by the World Economic Forum, Harvard Business Impact® or Connemara.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal guidance on protected disclosures, employment practices, or compliance obligations, consult a qualified labour law practitioner.
© 2026 Global Business Solutions (GBS). All rights reserved.
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