Giving Informal LearningtheRecognition it Deserves OECD Skills Studies Giving Informal Learningthe Recognition it Deserves This work is issued under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD, and does not necessarily reflect theofficial views of OECD Member countries. This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty overany territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use ofsuch data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements inthe West Bank under the terms of international law. Note by the Republic of Türkiye The information in this document with reference to “Cyprus” relates to the southern part of the Island. There is no singleauthority representing both Turkish and Greek Cypriot people on the Island. Türkiye recognises the Turkish Republic ofNorthern Cyprus (TRNC). Until a lasting and equitable solution is found within the context of the United Nations, Türkiyeshall preserve its position concerning the “Cyprus issue”. Note by all the European Union Member States of the OECD and the European UnionThe Republic of Cyprus is recognised by all members of the United Nations with the exception of Türkiye. Theinformation in this document relates to the area under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. ISBN 978-92-64-49137-3 (print)ISBN 978-92-64-46753-8 (PDF)ISBN 978-92-64-89101-2 (HTML) OECD Skills StudiesISSN 2307-8723 (print)ISSN 2307-8731 (online) Photo credits:Cover © PeopleImages/Shutterstock.com. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. By using this work, you accept to be bound by the terms of this licence(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Attribution– you must cite the work.Translations– you must cite the original work, identify changes to the original and add the following text:In the event of any discrepancy between the original work and thetranslation, only the text of the original work should be considered valid.Adaptations– you must cite the original work and add the following text:This is an adaptation of an original work by the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed inthis adaptation should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its Member countries.Third-party material– the licence does not apply to third-party material in the work. If using such material, you are responsible for obtaining permission from the third party and forany claims of infringement.You must not use the OECD logo, visual identity or cover image without express permission or suggest the OECD endorses your use of the work.Any dispute arising under this licence shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Arbitration Rules 2012. The seat of arbitration shallbe Paris (France). The number of arbitrators shall be one. Foreword Lifelong learning is no longer a policy aspiration; it is aneconomic and social necessity. In a world shapedbytechnological disruption,demographic change,shifting labour markets and rising uncertainty,individuals and societies alike depend on the ability to continuously develop, renew and apply skillsthroughout life. Strong lifelong learning systems are therefore essential not only for employability andproductivity, but also for innovation, resilience, inclusion and well-being. Yet much of the learning that sustains these outcomes does not take place in classrooms, training centresor structured programmes. It takes place informally–through work, daily activities, social interaction, self-directed exploration and practical experience. Informal learning is a fundamental, everyday part of howpeople build and update their skills across the life course. It often accounts for the majority of time spentlearning and plays a vital role in helping individuals adapt to change, solve problems, and acquire newcompetences in real-world settings. Its importance is only set to grow. Digitalisation, new workplace practices and the rapid development ofartificial intelligence (AI) are transforming how people learn, creating more personalised, flexible andimmediate opportunities to acquire skills outside formal settings. At the same time, the rise of skills-basedhiring is shifting attention away from where learning took place and towards what individuals can actuallydo. Together, these trends make informal learning more visible, more valuable, and more central to thefuture of skills and work. And yet, despite its significance, informal learning remains poorly understood and too often overlooked inpolicy and research. Definitions vary widely. Measurement is