UNESCO and the UNEVOC network needed a consistent and comparable way to understand how skills demand was evolving across countries with different labor markets, industries, and education systems. Policymakers and international organizations lacked a shared view of which competencies were emerging, particularly in areas such as digital, green, and AI skills, making it difficult to benchmark progress and guide workforce investment. Lightcast supported the Global Skills Tracker by using its labor market data to compare skills demand across countries, industries, and occupations, with coverage spanning 20 countries. The analysis translated large-scale job data into a standardized intelligence framework that enabled cross-country comparison and long-term monitoring of workforce trends.

The resulting tool supports international organizations and partner governments in evidence-based benchmarking and decision-making. Stakeholders use the insights to track shifts in high-priority skill areas, assess workforce readiness, and identify where education and training systems need to adapt. By providing a consistent data foundation, the Global Skills Tracker helps governments and institutions respond more effectively to global workforce change and coordinate strategies across regions and sectors.