In 2014, the General Assembly of the United Nations designated July 15 as World Youth Skills Day for commemoration of the strategic significance of empowering young people with skills for entrepreneurship, decent work and employment. Ever since its designation, events held for its celebration have opened an opportunity for dialogue between young humans, firms, policy makers, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, employers’ and Workers’ organisations and development partners. Through these events, the significance of skills is being promoted.
Technical and vocational training and education are crucial to the accomplishment of the 2030 Agenda. Sustainable Development Goals 4 — “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” — is a major aim of the Incheon Declaration: Education 2030. This goal pays reasonable attention to development of technical and vocational skills, particularly in regards to access to quality TVET; acquisition of the education for gainful employment; and the eradication of gender disparity, while granting access to the vulnerable.
Empowerment of young people is a major concern of TVET.
TVET is required to tackle the many demands of a social, economic and environmental phenomenon by assisting youths in honing the skills required to obtain employment, entrepreneurship, promotion of equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and encouraging transitions to sustainability of the environment and green economies. TVET is capable of empowering youths with the necessities to access the phase of work, including preparations for self-employment, while improving responsiveness to companies and communities’ changing skill-demands.
Also, it has the ability to boost productivity and improve wage levels. With Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), reduction of access barriers to the world of work is possible. This is mostly done through work-based learning and making sure that there is recognition and certification of acquired skills. Likewise, it offers skills development opportunities for under-skilled people who are out of school, youth and individuals Not in Education, Employment and Trainings (NEET), and under- or unemployed.
Young people are recognised as catalysts for change.
The theme for World Youth Skills Day 2023 is “Skilling teachers, trainers, and youth for a transformative future”. This theme stresses the significant role of teachers, trainers and educators in the provision of skills for youths to access the labour market and ensure active engagement in their communities and societies. Advancements in technology and changing dynamics in the labour market calls for adaptable and agile training-acquired adeptness. Therefore, it is pertinent that young people are equipped to effectively navigate these changes.
Achievement of these goals depends solely on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) which is saddled with the responsibility of meeting these demands through the reduction of access barriers to the world of work, ensuring that the adeptness acquired are recognised, relevant and certified, enabling green skills and practices, while providing opportunities of skills development for young people who are not in employment, education and training. Celebration of this day recognises the capability of youths as catalysts for change.
73 million young people in 2022, were unemployed.
According to recent estimates, there is a suggestion that there would have to be a creation of 600 million jobs over the next 15 years to meet up with the needs of youth employment. As of 2022, the estimated global number of unemployed youths was 73 million, recording a minimal improvement from the 75 million estimate in 2021. Regardless of this change, 73 million unemployed youths is still six million above the 2019 pre-pandemic estimate. With the implementation of green and blue policy measures, an additional 8.4 million jobs for young people could be established.
Related Link
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