An Education Needs Assessment of CARIFORUM Firms

Population ageing in some countries will create shortages of qualified labour and promote the

reallocation of resources towards services like healthcare as consumer demand shifts from durable

goods towards services; meanwhile, countries with growing young workforces will experience the

opposite (OECD 2017a). Millennials are estimated to comprise more than 50% of the global

workforce, while by 2025, Gen Z will include around 27% of this workforce Schwartz et al. 2016;

PwC 2011; Koop 2021). Some research indicates that these groups prefer flexible and mobile

working environments, which increases the popularity of sharing and gig economies for freelance

workers and remote/hybrid work models for digital nomads (Deloitte 2016).

Deloitte (2022) highlights four key skills for operating across these new work structures: digital

tools and technology skills, comfort with analytics and data, business management skills, and design and creative skills. According to the former CEO of Upwork, 6 successful freelancers on the

platform are those with strong entrepreneurial and communication skills who continuously upskill

and can build effective reputations and relationships in addition to their hard/technical skills (see

Table 4) (Younger 2019). This statement is supported by other platforms confirming that beyond

technical skills, freelancers require core skills regardless of their industry/sector of operation.

These include writing and research, data analysis, problem-solving, IT, creativity and innovation,

marketing, project and portfolio management, networking and relationship management,

communication, and negotiation skills (ScreenSkills 2022; Indeed 2021; Younger 2019).

Table 4: Most In-Demand Skills on Freelance Arrangements

Upwork is an American freelancing platform considered one of the world's largest freelancing platforms, with over 3 million jobs posted annually. In their 2022 report, Upwork found that skilled remote freelancing has experienced steady growth, with 53% if all freelancers providing skilled services like computer programming or marketing over the last year. B elow is Upwork’s most in -demand skills list, revealing the growing importance of highly skilled independent talent. Top 10 most in-demand tech skills 1. Web Design 2. Word Press 3. Web Programming 4. Java Script 5. CSS 6. HTML 7. PHP 8. Shopify 9. API 10. Graphic Design Top 10 most in-demand marketing skills 1. Social media marketing 2. Lead generation 3. Facebook 4. SEO 6. Instagram 7. Marketing Strategy 8. Social Media Management 9. Email Marketing

6 Upwork is a globally renowned online freelancing platform.

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