2026 Theme: Skills for a Shared Future
In 2014, the 91茄子 General Assembly 15 July as World Youth Skills Day, to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
The world of work is changing rapidly. Artificial intelligence, the green transition and growing social complexity are transforming how we learn, work and participate in society. To thrive in this changing landscape, young people need more than technical skills alone. They need a balanced set of competencies that combines technical, digital, AI, green, social-emotional and civic skills with the human qualities that technology cannot replace.
Under the theme "Skills for a shared future", this year's World Youth Skills Day activities will spotlight the urgent need for innovative youth skills programmes—initiatives that empower young people not only to adapt, but to lead with empathy, bridge cultural divides, build resilience, and actively shape a more sustainable and inclusive tomorrow.
World Youth Skills Day 2026 - Skills for a shared future
Date: Jul 15 2026, 10:00 a.m – 12:30 p.m. CEST
Hosted by UNESCO-UNEVOC, this webinar convenes governments, educators, employers, and young people to confront a pivotal question: “What will it take to equip every young person with the competencies they need to thrive in a shared future?”
Why is World Youth Skills Day important?
Youth unemployment remains a major economic and social challenge worldwide. According to the ILO's , the global youth unemployment rate fell to 13% in 2023 – a 15-year low and below the pre-pandemic level of 13.8%. However, recovery has been uneven: in the Arab States, East Asia, and South-East Asia, rates were higher in 2023 than in 2019. Meanwhile, one in five young people globally – and over a quarter of young women – were NEET (not in employment, education, or training), with young women's NEET rate (28.1%) more than double that of young men (13.1%).
Even for those who work, decent jobs remain scarce. Over half of young workers are in informal employment, and in low-income countries, three in four hold only self-employment or temporary jobs. Investment in green and blue sectors could create 8.4 million youth jobs by 2030, but these must come with decent working conditions – including fundamental rights like equal pay, collective bargaining, and protection from harassment.
What role do technical and vocational education and training play?
Education and training are central to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. 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”. Education 2030 devotes considerable attention to technical and vocational skills development, specifically regarding access to affordable quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); the acquisition of technical and vocational skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship; the elimination of gender disparity and ensuring access for the vulnerable. In this context, TVET is expected to address the multiple demands of an economic, social and environmental nature by helping youth and adults develop the skills they need for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship, promoting equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and supporting transitions to green economies and environmental sustainability.
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 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).
As a child, Jestoni Go Padua worked making shoes to support his family. Jestoni recounts how he became a school instructor and now helps young people build skills for a better future and decent work.
Did you know?
- 273 million children and young people are out of school.
- 1 in 5 individuals aged 15–24 are not in employment, education or training (NEET).
- 28.2% (nearly 1 in 3) of young women are in NEET, compared to 13.1% of young men.
- 40% of today’s skillsets no longer match job market needs.
- 65 million youth were unemployed globally in 2023.
- 22% of jobs will transform by 2030 due to technological disruption.
- Fewer than 1% of poor rural women complete secondary school in many countries.
- 22% of jobs will transform by 2030 due to technological disruption.
- 86% of students do not feel prepared for an AI enabled workplace.
- 70% of youth (450 million) are economically disengaged due to lack of adequate skills for the labour market.
Youth Survey
Are you between the ages of 15 and 29? Then we want to hear from you! Tell us about your visions, priorities, aspirations, challenges, concerns, and expectations for skills development. These insights will inform a discussion to be held on 15 July 2026, in celebration of World Youth Skills Day. Submit your response by 7 July 2026.
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