World Youth Skills Day is observed on 15 July with an aim to raise awareness about the importance of technical, vocational education training and the development of other skills relevant to both local and global economies. This year the day is celebrated under the theme “Skills for a Resilient Youth in the Era of COVID-19 and beyond.
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Key-Points
The event is organised by the Permanent Missions of Sri Lanka and Portugal to the UN, the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, UNESCO, and ILO.
The virtual event brings together young people, the UN Member States, TVET institutions, the private sector, worker’s organisations, policymakers, and development partners.
Designated by the General assembly in 2014, the World Youth Skills Day is an opportunity for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions to acknowledge the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment.
The vision of the Incheon Declaration: Education 2030 is fully captured by Sustainable Development Goal 4 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.
The latest Global Employment Trends for Youth 2020: Technology and the future of jobs shows that since 2017, there has been an upward trend in the number of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET).
In 2016 there were 259 million young people classified as NEET – a number that rose to an estimated 267 million in 2019, and is projected to continue climbing to around 273 million in 2021.
In terms of percentage, the trend was also slightly up from 21.7% in 2015 to 22.4% in 2020 – implying that the international target to reduce the NEET rate by 2020 will be missed.
Significance of the World Youth Skills Day
Youth unemployment is increasing which is the most significant problem facing today’s economies and societies in the world for developed and developing countries alike.
According to the latest Global Trends for Youth 2020: technology and the future of jobs, since 2017, there has been an upward trend in the number of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET).
Around 259 million young people in 2016 classified as NEET and this number rose to an estimated 267 million in 2019 and it is said it will rise to around 273 million in 2021. In terms of percentage, the trend is slightly up from 21.7% in 2015 to 22.4% in 2020 and implying that the international target to reduce the NEET rate by 2020 will be missed.
The General Assembly declared to celebrate the World Youth Skills Day on 15 July with an aim to provide a chance for young youth, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, public and private sector stakeholders to recognise and celebrate the importance of preparing young youth with skills of employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.
