Team Upskilling Labs

Overview

Team Upskilling Labs data analysis has conducted a Global Youth Education Analysis to identify Key Insights for 2025-2035.

Team Members

Madhu Jalan
Ashley Nalikka
Sandra Moscoso
Jennifer Kemp
Chidubem Nwabunze
Tiveeda Stovall
Gareth Digby

Challenge Category 3: Jobs and Youth

See www.dc2.org/datadive for details on this challenge area.

Project Description

Team Upskilling Labs used AI to analyse and build visualizations exploring the future of education, jobs, and what youth skills will matter most in 2035.

Background

Using UN population projections and World Bank educational attainment projections, we merged four core datasets (UN_Pop_Projections, UN_Shr_Projections, WD_MYS, WD_PRP) to model how the size and skill composition of youth (ages 15–24) will change between 2025 and 2035 under the Medium/Scenario 2 pathway.

Our merged dataset captures for each country:

Youth population by age group, sex, and scenario
Educational distribution (No Education → Master+)
Absolute numbers by region
Gender gaps
Growth trajectories
Global talent concentration
Outliers (leaders and risks)

This allowed us to answer the core Challenge 6 question:
Which youth skills will matter most in 2035, and where will they be concentrated?

Key Findings

1. The world’s skill center of gravity shifts toward Asia

By 2035, 48% of all skilled youth (post-secondary + tertiary) will live in East Asia & Pacific (EAP).
Adding South Asia raises Asia’s share to ~65% of global skilled talent.

Implication: Global jobs, especially digital/AI roles, will increasingly be supplied by Asia.

2. Sub-Saharan Africa is the demographic engine—but not yet the skills engine

Africa contributes the largest growth in youth population and in upper-secondary expansion.
However, it still holds the world’s highest numbers of low-education youth (No Education, Primary Only).
Skill growth is fast (post-secondary +60%), but from a low base.

Implication: Africa’s challenge is not population, but skills readiness for the digital economy.

3. Upper secondary is the dominant global education level of 2035

Across almost all regions, Upper Secondary is the largest and fastest-growing segment.
This suggests that most of the world’s labor force will enter the market with intermediate skills.

Implication: Future job programs must build from mid-skills upward — especially digital literacy and applied problem-solving.

4. Gender shifts reshape talent — women surpass men in many countries

Countries where young women exceed young men in post-secondary education include:
USA, Indonesia, Russia, Philippines, Japan, Brazil, Korea, Vietnam, France, Turkey.

Implication: The future talent gap is increasingly male — not female — in higher education.

5. Risk Alert: Some countries will see rising numbers of uneducated youth

Despite global progress, several countries show increases in youth with no education:
Nigeria, Algeria, Iraq, CAR, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Congo, Vanuatu and others.

Implication: These countries risk falling completely outside the future digital labor market.

6. Country Leaders (2035)

Tertiary-Educated Youth: China, USA, Egypt, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia.
Upper Secondary: India, China, Pakistan, USA, Indonesia, Nigeria.
Low Education (Risk): Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Ethiopia, Afghanistan.

Implication: Future job platforms must target where the talent (and gaps) truly are.

7. Global Talent Concentration Index (HHI = 0.285)

This indicates moderate concentration — not fully diversified.
Meaning: A small number of regions dominate skilled youth supply.

Implication: Companies and countries will compete for talent from a relatively narrow set of regions.

Conclusion

The most important skill level in 2035 is mid-to-high skilled youth — especially those with Upper Secondary and Post-Secondary education — concentrated overwhelmingly in Asia.

Meanwhile, the world’s demographic boom in Africa will not convert into a skills boom without targeted intervention.

To prepare for 2035, policymakers must:

Scale post-secondary vocational and digital programs
Address gender education shifts
Target high-growth populations in Asia and Africa
Support rescue policies for countries where low education is rising

Links:

World Bank Data Dive - December 3rd 2025

# Team Upskilling Labs ## Overview Team Upskilling Labs data analysis has conducted a Global Youth Education Analysis to identify Key Insights for 2025-2035. ## Team Members - Madhu Jalan - Ashley Nalikka - Sandra Moscoso - Jennifer Kemp - Chidubem Nwabunze - Tiveeda Stovall - Gareth Digby ## Challenge Category 3: Jobs and Youth See [www.dc2.org/datadive](https://www.dc2.org/datadive) for details on this challenge area. ## Project Description Team Upskilling Labs used AI to analyse and build visualizations exploring the future of education, jobs, and what youth skills will matter most in 2035. ### Background Using UN population projections and World Bank educational attainment projections, we merged four core datasets (UN\_Pop\_Projections, UN\_Shr\_Projections, WD\_MYS, WD\_PRP) to model how **the size and skill composition of youth (ages 15–24)** will change between **2025 and 2035** under the *Medium/Scenario 2* pathway. Our merged dataset captures for each country: * Youth population by age group, sex, and scenario * Educational distribution (No Education → Master+) * Absolute numbers by region * Gender gaps * Growth trajectories * Global talent concentration * Outliers (leaders and risks) This allowed us to answer the core Challenge 6 question: **Which youth skills will matter most in 2035, and where will they be concentrated?** ## **Key Findings** ### 1\. The world’s skill center of gravity shifts toward Asia By 2035, **48% of all skilled youth** (post-secondary \+ tertiary) will live in **East Asia & Pacific (EAP)**. Adding **South Asia** raises Asia’s share to **\~65%** of global skilled talent. **Implication:** Global jobs, especially digital/AI roles, will increasingly be supplied by Asia. --- ### 2\. Sub-Saharan Africa is the demographic engine—but not yet the skills engine * Africa contributes the largest **growth** in youth population and in upper-secondary expansion. * However, it still holds the world’s highest numbers of **low-education** youth (No Education, Primary Only). * Skill growth is fast (post-secondary \+60%), but from a low base. **Implication:** Africa’s challenge is not population, but *skills readiness* for the digital economy. --- ### 3\. Upper secondary is the dominant global education level of 2035 Across almost all regions, **Upper Secondary** is the largest and fastest-growing segment. This suggests that most of the world’s labor force will enter the market with *intermediate* skills. **Implication:** Future job programs must build from mid-skills upward — especially digital literacy and applied problem-solving. --- ### 4\. Gender shifts reshape talent — women surpass men in many countries Countries where **young women exceed young men in post-secondary education** include: **USA, Indonesia, Russia, Philippines, Japan, Brazil, Korea, Vietnam, France, Turkey.** **Implication:** The future talent gap is increasingly male — not female — in higher education. --- ### 5\. Risk Alert: Some countries will see rising numbers of uneducated youth Despite global progress, several countries show **increases** in youth with *no education*: **Nigeria, Algeria, Iraq, CAR, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Congo, Vanuatu** and others. **Implication:** These countries risk falling completely outside the future digital labor market. --- ### 6\. Country Leaders (2035) * **Tertiary-Educated Youth:** China, USA, Egypt, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia. * **Upper Secondary:** India, China, Pakistan, USA, Indonesia, Nigeria. * **Low Education (Risk):** Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Ethiopia, Afghanistan. **Implication:** Future job platforms must target where the talent (and gaps) truly are. --- ### 7\. Global Talent Concentration Index (HHI \= 0.285) This indicates **moderate concentration** — not fully diversified. Meaning: A small number of regions dominate skilled youth supply. **Implication:** Companies and countries will compete for talent from a relatively narrow set of regions. --- ## Conclusion **The most important skill level in 2035 is mid-to-high skilled youth — especially those with Upper Secondary and Post-Secondary education — concentrated overwhelmingly in Asia.** Meanwhile, the world’s demographic boom in Africa will not convert into a skills boom without targeted intervention. To prepare for 2035, policymakers must: * Scale post-secondary vocational and digital programs * Address gender education shifts * Target high-growth populations in Asia and Africa * Support rescue policies for countries where low education is rising ## Links: [World Bank Data Dive - December 3rd 2025](https://www.dc2.org/datadive)