World youth skills day is an event that is globally recognized. This day highlights the significance of youth empowerment through skill development. As we know that youth is the real maker of the world. They can change the drifts of struggle towards successive ones. On July 15th, of every year international youth skills day is celebrated. It raises awareness about the opportunities and challenges faced by youth worldwide. This day targets to prepare young people to flourish in an ever-changing world.
The development of skills plays a fundamental role in shaping the lives of young individuals. It enables them to actively contribute in defensible economic growth and nurturing societal existence. World youth skills day obliges to make the youth aware of the power of skills. According to Statista, 70% of companies claim in a survey that creative and analytical skills are going to be the most important skills to rise from 2023 to 2027. On the other hand, 68% of companies consider technical skills as the third most elevated skill of the era. So this influence can inspire young people for a transformative change. In this article, we are going to discuss the importance of international youth skills day. We will inform you how it empowers youth by highlighting various skill-building activities. In this tech era, how can we forget AI and its role in skill development in youth? So stick around and let's understand how the transformative power of skill development makes the youth of today the leaders of tomorrow.
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Importance of World Youth Skills Day
In 2014, the government raises awareness among youth about skills for basic occupation, decent labor, and business ventures. United Nations General Assembly professed 15th July as WIYSD. The strategy behind the celebration of this day was to highlight the importance of skills in youth. From that day different events on this day are organised to provide valuable opportunities for youth.
These opportunities include dialogue between young people, developers, and policymakers to raise the significance of skill development in youth. However, (TVET), employers, and workers similarly participated in dialogue for elevating the importance of youth skills development.
They specifically highlight the ever-changing dynamics of the world due to skills expansion. Moreover, this day holds significance in empowering young individuals. On this day, people recognize that investing in youth and their skills is essential for a successful future. UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutiérrez believed that:
The right of quality education and learning must be ensured. Youth skills can be developed by investing in technical education and digital skills.
Furthermore, skill development plays a vital role in reducing unemployment rates. Through skill development, we can empower young individuals to unlock their potential, peruse their aims or aspirations and make informed choices about their future. By bringing attention to vital issues, youth can nurture their skills to become active leaders and contributors in their communities.
The Theme of World Youth Skills Day 2023
The theme sets for 2023 world youth skills day is: “Skilling Teachers, Trainers and Youth for a Transformative Future”. This subject highlights the role of educators in the development of skills in youth. Through the involvement of educators and teachers youth can make active transitions in their societies.
As we know that with time, technology is advancing. Due to this advancement, the dynamics of work and the labor market are increasingly changing. So in this tech era, there is an ultimate call for a bustling skill set. Therefore, people must look around the changes and prepare themselves efficiently.
By keeping these things in mind technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is there to reduce the barriers to access to work. It ensures the relevancy of skills by providing opportunities for people who are not in any training or education. So, this theme aims to distinguish the potential of youngsters for a better and prosperous world through their skills.
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Significance of Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Youth Skills Enhancements
TVET refer to the achievement of talents for employment, entrepreneurship, and decent work. The role of TVET in this context is to exclude the concept of gender discrimination. By doing so, TVET aims to help youth to develop their skills. Through these skills, one can promote equitable and sustainable economic growth.
Furthermore, TVET can polish youth by enhancing the inspiration for self-employment. It can also help in increasing the wage level and productivity. Apart from that this program provides various opportunities for low-skilled people. Low-skilled people means the ones who are unemployed or underemployed. So this program plays a major role in developing youth skills regardless of any discrimination.
Key Areas of Focus in Youth Skills Development
Skill development in youth encompasses various areas of focus that are essential for youth empowerment. Those areas aid people to formulate themselves for the challenges of the modern world. The key areas for nurturing the future of youngsters are as follows:
1) Learning and Education
Education plays a vital role in youth skill development. Those students who have access to quality education have better critical thinking skills. It nurtures creativity and problem-solving abilities. Apart from formal education, informal learning is also important. It fulfils an essential part in developing practical skills through specialized knowledge.
2) Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship performs major role in defensible economic growth. It’s a great step for youth to develop their skills. Through entrepreneurship, youngsters can create opportunities for contribution to the world economy. Educating people about entrepreneurship prepare young people with a skills mindset.
This kind of mind-sets enhances the risk-taking abilities of youth. By doing so, they became able to identify and pursue their ventures. Furthermore, promoting innovation can also benefit individuals to think beyond the box. This will help them to explore new technologies to develop solutions for various challenges.
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3) Technology and Digital Learning
In today’s tech era, technological skills and digital literacy are of great importance. This pillar mainly focuses on enhancing youth's abilities to navigate digital technologies. By keeping track of new advancements individuals can utilize digital tools effectively. Those digital tools help them in developing skills like coding and data analytics. Moreover, technological and digital skills enable youth to participate in the digital economy. Students can utilize technology for learning and innovation which helps in their quick progress.
4) Employment and Career Development
Preparing young individuals with the skills to navigate their careers is very important. It is crucial for their economic independence and social contribution. This area focuses on providing youth with job-specific skills and career guidance. It covers areas such as interview skills, networking, and various industry trends. So, we should empower our youth with employability skills. It will ensure that they are well-prepared to secure good employment in the ever-evolving job market.
So, by addressing awareness about these pillars in youth, world youth skills day aims to promote a healthy approach in individuals. These approaches will equip youth with all the proficiencies that are needed to prosper in the 21st century.
“A generation equipped with skills is vital for the progress and prosperity of societies and economies”
Said UNICEF Director of Education Robert Jenkins
Role of Artificial Intelligence in Youth Skill Development
When we talk about skill development then how can we forget AI? So, in this modern world, AI is playing a significant role in youth skills development. It offers many innovative solutions and personalized learning experiences. Here are some ways in which AI is helping in skill development:
1. Intelligent Tutoring System
AI-based tutoring systems provide virtual tutors. They are capable of delivering personalized instructions, support, and guidance to students. These intelligent systems use NLP to understand students' strengths and weaknesses.
Through customized feedback, this system helps students in developing specific skills. Those skills include problem-solving abilities and reinforce learning in an engaging and personalized manner.
2. AI-Driven Skill Assessment Tools
AI-based skill assessment tools assist educators to calculate students' skills and track their progress. These tools work on machine learning algorithms to analyze the performance data. It also helps in identifying areas of improvement and provides legal understanding. Through these AI analytics educators can mold instructions to address skill gaps to optimize learning outcomes.
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3. Intelligent Skill Development Applications
AI designs a wide range of applications specifically for skill development. It offers a variety of applications to enhance several skills in youth. For example, the AI coding platform offers interactive coding tutorials and code reviews. This helps young people in building programming skills. Likewise, AI-based creativity toolsoffer intelligent suggestions and feedback to enhance creative skills.
Now, we have an idea that AI is transforming the land of youth skills. So, by utilizing AI technology people can create more efficient learning experiences. One survey highlights that Indian youth who are in technology and engineering are employable up to 55%. However, it’s important to prioritize human interaction alongside AI solutions for inclusive skill development.
Initiatives and Activities on International Youth Empowerment Day
World youth skills dayfunctions as a platform for different activities and initiatives. Those initiatives aim at promoting youth skill development.
The activities are conducted on a global scale to highlight the importance of skill-based learning in youth. Now let's explore some of the activities that take place on world youth skill day.
- On international youth skill day, global campaigns are organized to raise awareness. These campaigns highlight the importance of skills for youth empowerment. The basic purpose of these campaigns is to engage youngsters in public conversations. The conversations highlight the transformative power of skills. On world youth skills day,campaigns are run through various social media platforms to spread information about the success stories to inspire people.
- On this day, several workshops and training sessions are arranged. These sessions spread awareness amongst youth about the opportunities. Through workshops, individuals become able to acquire new skills and enhance existing ones. In these training sessions, a lot of areas are covered such as digital skills, entrepreneurship, and vocational skill development. These sessions are designed according to the interest of young participants.
- World youth skills day also celebrates the achievements of young people. It also showcases success stories to encourage and inspire others. Success stories of young entrepreneurs and innovators are shared through different platforms. This activity arose the inspiration among youth about the transformative power of skills.
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By conducting these initiatives on world youth skills day, various stakeholders create a healthy environment for youth skill development. They provide resources for youngsters to enhance their skills to make a positive impression in societies and beyond.
Final Thoughts
World youth skills day serves as a powerful platform that recognizes the importance of youth skill development. Through this day we became able to learn the transformative impact of skill development in youth. By acquiring a vast range of creative and technological skills, young people can navigate their educational and professional journeys with confidence and resilience. So, let us continue to prioritize and support youth skill development to build a better world for generations to come.
Frequently Asked Questions/ FAQs
1. Why We Celebrate World Youth Skills Day?
We celebrates Youth skill day to emphasize worth of skill development among youngsters. It aims to enable youth, reduce underemployment and nurture economic growth.
2. When Was the First Youth Skill Day Celebrated?
The first international youth skill day was celebrated on July 15, 2015.
3. What Role does Government Play in Youth Skill Development?
Government plays a major role in skill development. It helps in implementing various policies like quality education and entrepreneurship programs. They also build collaboration with stakeholders to create an effective environment for skill development in youth.
4. How Does World Youth Skill Day Promote the Concept of Gender Equality?
WIYSD promotes the notion of gender equality by stressing equal access to chances for young men and women. It encourages the breakdown of gender stereotypes in career choices. This day aims to support the initiative of gender equality to empower both sides.
5. How Does Skill Development Contribute to Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs)?
Skill development in youth contributes to achieving SDGs by promoting economic growth and reducing poverty. Apart from that, it also helps in endowing young people to keenly partake in skill development for building strong communities.