The launch of a new national skills accelerator in India has expanded the World Economic Forum’s global network of employment and skilling initiatives to 45 countries, a framework that has so far supported 14.8 million people worldwide, the Forum said.
Announcing the development at the conclusion of its 56th Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, the WEF said the national accelerators bring together governments, businesses and civil society organisations to convert global labour market insights into country-specific action focused on employment generation, skills development and inclusive economic growth.
According to the WEF, the India Skills Accelerator will focus on addressing structural and access-related barriers to equitable skilling. The initiative aims to rapidly scale industry-aligned training programmes and improve employability for millions of workers, particularly as labour markets are reshaped by artificial intelligence, digitalisation and global economic transitions.
Across the global accelerator network, national efforts are centred on building skills required for the new economy, including human-centric capabilities, artificial intelligence and digital technologies, sustainability-linked skills, trade-related competencies, vocational pathways and core business fundamentals, the Forum said.
The WEF also said that its Reskilling Revolution initiative remains on course to reach more than 850 million people globally, bringing it closer to its target of equipping one billion individuals with improved access to skills, education and economic opportunities. The initiative forms a key pillar of the Forum’s broader agenda to prepare workers for the future of work.
As part of the Reskilling Revolution commitments, more than 25 technology companies have pledged support for 120 million workers by providing access to artificial intelligence tools, skills training programmes and structured job pathways. These commitments are designed to help workers adapt to rapidly evolving job requirements and reduce skills mismatches across industries.
The Forum noted that the global economy is undergoing significant transformation driven by artificial intelligence, geo-economic realignments and the energy transition. These shifts are altering labour market demands at an unprecedented pace, making large-scale workforce preparation an urgent priority for both developed and emerging economies.
The newly announced commitments extend beyond corporate pledges and include collaborations between universities and employers, as well as national-level accelerators focused on redesigning workforce entry, job transitions and long-term employability. The initiatives seek to ensure that workers can navigate career changes in an economy increasingly shaped by technological disruption.
Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum, said the future of work will be determined by the availability of learning opportunities, support systems for job transitions and encouragement for entrepreneurship. She said the latest announcements represent a coordinated effort by education providers, employers and governments to ensure that workforce transformation leads to broader economic inclusion.
The launch of the India Skills Accelerator places the country within a growing global framework aimed at aligning skilling systems with future labour market needs. The initiative is expected to play a role in strengthening India’s workforce readiness as demand grows for AI-enabled, digital and sustainability-related skills across sectors.
