Future of Work

While the specific challenges vary by country, digital skills are becoming essential: by some estimates, 80% of jobs will require them by 2030. Yet businesses across the region already report critical workforce gaps, including growing shortages in cybersecurity talent. At the same time, more than 700 million young people are at risk, with nearly one in five not in school, work, or training despite labor shortages.

As e-commerce and AI accelerate, small businesses also risk falling further behind—fewer than one in three are digitally connected or using e-commerce tools effectively. Addressing these challenges is critical not only to economic growth but also to ensuring businesses, workers, and governments can adapt to technological change, strengthen resilience, and participate in an increasingly digital economy.

TAF brings together governments, the private sector, academia and civil society to co-design practical solutions that strengthen workforce readiness, increase business competitiveness, and expand economic opportunity. We combine evidence, policy engagement, strategic partnerships, and locally led implementation to develop and scale digital, financial, and workforce initiatives that respond to each country’s priorities. With long-standing relationships across Asia and the Pacific, TAF connects local innovation with regional learning, helping successful approaches to inform policy and scale across multiple countries while remaining responsive to local contexts.