Human Capital Development refers to the intentional process of strengthening and expanding individuals' human capital throughout life through education, training, work experience, health, and other learning opportunities. The Stanford Center on Longevity and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences describes human capital as referring to the skills that human beings offer to employers in labor markets; 2) the capacities that enable personal growth and self-discovery; and 3) the many tasks and talents entailed in attending to the care and flourishing of others. Longer human lives that are more prosperous, equitable, and fulfilling require better nurturing and investment of human capital on these dimensions.

Human capital accrues from the earliest years (early children) to late adulthood. The longer the life and faster the speed of skill changes and job disruptions, the more likely individuals will experience multiple transitions between education and work across multiple jobs and career stages. The nation’s current learn-and-work ecosystem (especially the organization of education and employment) makes these transitions difficult and costly.