The outcome of the global contest between open, democratic societies and closed, authoritarian systems of government is not just a question of military strength. It’s also a question of which form of government most reliably provides its citizens with social stability, economic security, and a realistic prospect of upward mobility in exchange for hard work and effort. In this context, lifelong learning and job training play a key role. In this talk, former Obama administration senior policy advisor Hal Plotkin will describe the most recent policy and program developments in the field of lifelong learning and job training in the United States based on his experience leading Silicon Valley’s largest public provider of lifelong learning and career transition programs, the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, as well as helping to oversee the Obama’s administration’s $2 billion four-year grant program for displaced workers. Jobs and occupations are changing rapidly and so, too, are the ways individuals identify and obtain the skills and opportunities required to fill those jobs and move up the career ladder. Educational institutions that understand and act on these trends will be in the best position to strengthen their societies and shape a better, more prosperous future for their citizens.