Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are transforming the world of work, creating new job opportunities and making labor markets more innovative, inclusive, and global. Three trends are driving this shift: greater connectivity, the ability to telecommute and outsource work, and globalization of skills.

The goal of ICT is to improve access to information and make human-to-human, human-to-machine, and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication easier and more efficient. This broad label includes the infrastructure and telecom components that enable synchronous and asynchronous communication across short and long distances.

Similar to information technology (IT), ICT refers to technology use for regular, everyday tasks: sending an email, making a video call, searching the internet, using a tablet or mobile phone, and more. ICT skills could also include the ability to use older communication technologies such as telephones, radios, and televisions.