The skills imperative 2035: Essential skills for tomorrow’s workforce

The Skills Imperative 2035 was a five-year research programme led by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) between 2021 and 2026. It investigated how jobs and skills requirements are likely to change by 2035, who is most at risk from labour market change, and how government, employers and the education system can support workers to transition from declining occupations, help young people enter growing occupations and minimise the costs of disruption.

Methodological approach

Anchored in projections of the 2035 labour market, the programme identified the essential employment skills (EES) most important for the future workforce and developed a new instrument to measure their supply, demand and gaps. Eight working papers examined future employment and skills demand; workers’ vulnerability to occupational decline and potential transition pathways; how skills develop through childhood and adolescence and relate to educational pathways; and lessons from high-performing education systems internationally. Findings were synthesised in a final report, with stakeholder engagement informing recommendations for policy and practice.

Key findings

The research showed how technological, demographic, environmental and economic changes will disrupt the labour market, affecting both jobs and the skills required to do them. Up to three million jobs in declining UK occupations could be at risk by 2035, particularly in low- and mid-skilled occupations such as administration, customer service and machine operations.

The programme identified six EES that will be vital across the future labour market: collaboration; communication; creative thinking; information literacy; organising, planning and prioritising; and problem solving and decision making.

Research also found that inequalities in children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development emerge early and become more entrenched through education, with home environments contributing to these gaps. International comparisons found that young people in England have weaker socio-emotional skills than comparator countries.

Implications for policy, practice and research

The final report calls for a coordinated system of lifelong learning that develops skills throughout early childhood, education and work. Its priorities include ensuring all young people develop strong EES foundations; targeting support towards disadvantaged young people; strengthening technical pathways into growing occupations; increasing public and employer investment in adult skills; improving coordination between government, employers and education providers; and encouraging employers to anticipate skills needs and make better use of workers’ capabilities.

The findings underline the need to develop EES alongside technical skills, support workers to retrain and change careers, and equip young people for entry-level roles in growing sectors. The programme also highlighted the need for further research to establish how best to develop EES and support successful transitions into growing occupations.

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