By Lilian H. Hill
Released by the World Economic Forum on January 7, 2025, the Future of Jobs Report 2025 draws on insights from over 1,000 leading global employers, representing more than 14 million workers across 22 industry sectors and 55 economies worldwide, to explore how major global trends are shaping the future of jobs and skills. It also outlines the workforce transformation strategies these employers intend to pursue between 2025 and 2030 in response to these shifts. The World Economic Forum brings together leaders from politics, business, academia, civil society, and other sectors to shape global, regional, and industry agendas. Founded in 1971 as a non-profit organization, it operates independently and impartially, free from special interests, and is committed to the highest standards of governance, ethical conduct, and intellectual integrity (World Economic Forum, n.d.). This is the fifth edition of the Future of Jobs report published since 2016.
The Future of Jobs Report 2025 explains how information literacy is understood in today’s rapidly evolving and uncertain labor market. Traditionally, information literacy referred to the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively use information. The report emphasizes the need for a more comprehensive and adaptable understanding that incorporates digital discernment, data literacy, and critical thinking in an increasingly automated and data-driven world. AI literacy, data analytics, cybersecurity, and creative problem-solving are critical skillsets in demand, and employees will need to make adaptability a core strength.
As roles in artificial intelligence (AI), data analysis, sustainability, and digital transformation become more prominent, individuals must develop the ability to critically assess the accuracy, credibility, and implications of the information they consume, particularly in a media environment where misinformation, technological hype, and biased algorithms are widespread. The image below displays the top 10 skills identified by the Future of Jobs 2025 report as desirable from now until 2030.
The report emphasizes that skills-based hiring is on the rise, with employers placing more value on demonstrable competencies than on formal credentials. This trend reinforces the importance of self-directed learning, where workers are expected to acquire and apply new knowledge to remain competitive continually. With nearly 40% of current job skills expected to shift by 2030, the ability to access and interpret relevant information becomes a crucial career survival skill, enabling individuals to identify trusted educational platforms, evaluate online learning resources, and stay current with evolving industry standards.
The growing complexity and opacity of emerging technologies heighten the need for technological and ethical literacy. As AI, big data, and algorithmic decision-making become embedded in areas such as hiring, education, policing, and healthcare, the public must be equipped to ask critical questions: Who designed these systems? What data were they trained on? Who is accountable if things go wrong? Information literacy thus plays a central role in helping individuals and communities not only use digital tools but also critically examine their fairness, transparency, and societal impact.
The report reinforces the role of information literacy in civic engagement. As AI and other technologies increasingly influence public decision-making, including resource allocation, predictive policing, and climate-related infrastructure planning, citizens must be able to participate meaningfully in public consultations, policy debates, and democratic processes. This requires the ability to interpret technical and policy-related information, challenge unjust practices, and propose alternatives rooted in equity and inclusion. In this way, information literacy supports informed citizenship in a digital democracy.
Finally, the report emphasizes the urgent need to bridge the digital divide, noting that without equitable access to learning tools and information resources, existing inequalities are likely to persist and widen. Individuals from underserved communities face disproportionate barriers to acquiring in-demand skills, which can perpetuate cycles of economic exclusion. Embedding information literacy into education systems, workforce development programs, and community initiatives is essential to ensure that everyone, not just the digitally privileged, can participate in and benefit from the changing world of work.
In summary, the Future of Jobs Report 2025 frames information literacy as a multidimensional and indispensable skill in the era of rapid technological change. It is no longer sufficient to know how to find information; individuals must be able to evaluate its quality, apply it to real-world challenges, and use it to advocate for fair and ethical practices. Information literacy is thus positioned as a foundational competency for lifelong learning, career resilience, civic empowerment, and social equity in the digital age.
References
World Economic Forum (n.d.) Our Mission. https://www.weforum.org/about/world-economic-forum/
World Economic Forum (2025, January 7). Future of Jobs 2025. https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/
