Background
World Youth Skills Day is celebrated globally on the 15th July on an annual basis.
The United Nations General Assembly established World Youth Skills Day in December 2014. The first World Youth Skills Day was celebrated the following year on 15th July 2015.
According to the United Nations website: World Youth Skills Day is “to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. Since then, World Youth Skills Day events have provided a unique opportunity for dialogue between young people, technical and vocation education and training (TVET) institutions, firms, employers’ and workers’ organisations, policy makers and development partners.”
What is Technical and vocation education and training (TVET)?
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO): “’Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is understood as comprising education, training and skills development relating to a wide range of occupational fields, production, services and livelihoods.
TVET, as part of lifelong learning, can take place at secondary, post-secondary and tertiary levels and includes work-based learning and continuing learning and professional development which may lead to qualifications. TVET also includes a wide range of skills development opportunities attuned to national and local contexts.”
What role does technical and vocational education and training (TVET) play?
According to the United Nations website: “TVET can equip youth with the skills required to access the world of work, including skills for self-employment. TVET can also improve responsiveness to changing skill-demands by the companies and communities, increase productivity and increase wage levels.
TVET can reduce access barriers to the world of work, for example through work-based learning, and ensuring that skills gained are recognised and certified. TVET can also offer skills development opportunities for low skilled people who are under- or unemployed, out of school youth and individuals not in education, employment and training (NEETs).”
How can I raise awareness of World Youth Skills Day?
You can raise awareness of World Youth Skills Day by:
- Sharing on social media – by sharing this article and other articles and information about World Youth Skills Day and why it is important.
- Sharing your experience – sharing your journey is a great way to showcase the steps which you have undertaken to get to where you are. This can prove to be invaluable for someone who is just about to start their career