The brand new World Future Skills Index from Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has rated Switzerland as one of the countries most prepared for the future of work. The report noted that while the alpine nation has the finances and universities needed to future-proof the economy, Swiss institutions have been comparatively slow to adapt to new jobs.

Huge disruption to workforce norms is coming, QS says

Using its university ranking, employer survey and an analysis of 280 million job postings around the world, the new QS report seeks to rank “how well countries are equipped to meet the evolving demands of the international job market.” 

“It’s an important time for governments and higher education institutions to recognise that a huge disruption to workforce norms is on the horizon,” they wrote. Amid the ongoing rise of AI and the increasing importance of green and sustainable work, they argued that it is important for all countries to make sure that they are as responsive as possible to these monumental changes. 

To rank each nation on the list, QS gave scores out of 100 in the following categories:

• Skills Fit: How well countries equip graduates with the skills businesses need, based on feedback from employers.
• Academic Readiness: How well a country is prepared for the future of work, based on the QS university ranking.
• Future of Work: How well prepared the workforce and job market are for new jobs in digital, AI and green industries, as measured via 280 million job postings around the world.
• Economic Transformation: How well prepared a country is to support new jobs and technology, shown via economic, unemployment, innovation and productivity data.

These factors were then combined into a weighted rating out of 100.

United States the best prepared for future working conditions

In the first iteration of the ranking, the United States was rated as the country most prepared for the jobs of the future, with a total score of 97,6. They noted that while the school and university system in America is not getting graduates ready for the challenges of the modern workplace, federal investments in green and computing technology (most notably the 280 billion dollars spent on the US semiconductor industry) propelled it to the top of the ranking.

American companies were also given top marks for their willingness to employ workers in newly emerging fields. Elsewhere, the United Kingdom took second thanks to the quality of its universities and the efforts of the government to transition workers toward new industries, with Germany rounding out the podium places.

Switzerland's finances and universities make it future-proof

In the study, Switzerland was ranked as the seventh most prepared country on Earth when it comes to new jobs and technology. The alpine nation scored 89,3 points out of 100, just short of the Netherlands in sixth with 89,9.

In the report, QS explained that Switzerland has many strengths when it comes to facing the economic future. For instance, it noted that the country’s universities are well prepared to equip graduates with the skills they need to thrive in the new workplace. The strength of the Swiss economy also suggests that the country will find it easier to adapt to the rise of AI and other new technologies.

However, the country performed comparatively poorly when it came to Skills Fit. This means that what is taught to people studying in Switzerland today does not align well with the skills that are prized by employers. It’s often said that trends are slow to arrive in Switzerland, and so too with new technology: QS also reported that the Swiss job market is reluctant to offer jobs in digital, AI and green tech roles.

The 10 countries most prepared for future skills revealed

In all, here are the countries that are seen as best prepared for the future of work:

1. United States (97,6)
2. United Kingdom (97,1)
3. Germany (94,6)
4. Australia (93,3)
5. Canada (91)
6. The Netherlands (89,9)
7. Switzerland (89,3)
8. France (88,2)
9. Singapore (88,1)
10. South Korea (87,3)

For more information about the study, check out the QS website.

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