Every year on July 15, one of the UN International Days is celebrated – World Youth Skills Day, established by the UN General Assembly in December 2014 (resolution A/RES/69/145), with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of investing in youth skills development, improving socio-economic conditions for young people to solve problems of unemployment and underemployment.
This date is also intended to recall the role of youth in promoting sustainable development and the need for investment in health care, vocational training and employment of young people. The idea of establishing the Day belongs to the representatives of Sri Lanka at the UN, who at the next meeting of the General Assembly expressed concern about the growth and scale of youth unemployment.
Today, there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 in the world, representing 16% of the world's population. The active participation of youth in sustainable development measures plays an important role in creating sustainable, inclusive and stable societies and combating serious threats and challenges to sustainable development, including the impacts of climate change, unemployment, poverty, gender inequality, conflict and migration.
Youth – is an active period of life when a person builds a career, participates in social activities, and creates a family. It is expected that young people's acquisition of additional skills will facilitate their access to a changing labor market and help them make the right decisions regarding work and life. Governments must more effectively combat the harmful phenomenon of unemployment and help improve the economic living conditions of young people.
According to UN data, in 2019 the number of unemployed young people in the world was 67 million. Thus, the youth unemployment rate was 22.4%. By 2021, the rate had increased in most regions. Moreover, young people find themselves unemployed three times more often than adults.
The number of jobs offered to young people is constantly decreasing, and the level of inequality in the labor market is growing. One in five young people in the world, even with a job, lives in conditions of extreme poverty. Also, one in five does not have access to education. In addition, women are more often forced to accept low-paid or unqualified work, and be content with part-time employment or temporary contracts.
The problem of youth unemployment and underemployment is most acute in developing countries, but industrialized countries have not yet managed to eradicate it.
The labor market is changing, and young people need to constantly adapt to new conditions and acquire in-demand skills. Therefore, skill development, education and training – are the main factors for success in the labor market for young people themselves and an important indicator of the viability of society. Unfortunately, existing systems are not able to meet the educational needs of young people.
Therefore, vocational training and employment of young people occupy a separate item in the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development for the period up to 2030. And to raise public awareness of youth unemployment, raise awareness of skills development as the main means of helping young people get jobs, and fight for improved socio-economic conditions for young people, Youth Skills Day was established.
The UN General Assembly invites Member States, UN organizations and other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, to celebrate this day, which is dedicated to a specific theme every year, taking into account national priorities, including through educational campaigns, events with participation volunteers and outreach activities.
Traditionally, conferences, educational lectures, and training seminars on issues of vocational training and employment of youth are organized in a number of countries. Educational institutions host thematic classes and exhibitions of students' and students' works. Charitable foundations raise funds for the development of social projects.
One of the latest «ways» time – movement WorldSkills – competition for young skilled workers and students under the age of 22. When young people post photos from their workplaces on the Internet. It's not just advertising skills and achievements. In addition, WorldSkills is creating a new attitude among schoolchildren and their parents towards modern blue-collar professions and institutions of the secondary vocational education system.
Infographics – poster «July 15 — World Youth Skills Day»