World Youth Skills Day 2021
On the 15th of July 2021, the United Nations marked a unique World Youth Skills Day due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is ravaging many countries around the world. The day, declared in 2014 was to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. This year, the day celebrated the resilience and creativity of youth throughout the trying circumstances brought about by the pandemic. During the lockdown, youth in different parts of the world engaged in do-it-yourself projects such as urban indoor gardening, crafting like bead work, knitting and crocheting, learning to play musical instruments and baking. They were able to keep themselves busy, withstanding the difficulties of isolation, away from their friends in their different levels of learning institutions. This was, and still is important for psychological resilience for youth to be able to mentally and emotionally cope with the crisis of COVID-19 and bounce back as they return to the new normal, even if it means online learning and limited physical interactions with companions.
Given that training and education are key to the achievement of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, where the inclusive and equitable quality education for all that promotes life-long learning opportunities are embedded under SDG4, gaining skills-whether self-taught or classroom taught are equally important for youth. These skills will go a long way in giving them an edge in the employment or entrepreneurship market. This Agenda pays considerable attention to the development of technical and vocational skills, especially the access to quality and affordable Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
In Kenya, 15, 547[1] youth representing 10.8% of those who qualified to join universities opted for diploma and certificate courses in TVET institutions rather than pursuing degree courses at the universities. The rationale behind this phenomenon as the writer opined, was the sad reality that graduates with liberal arts degrees are struggling to get jobs as compared to those craftspeople and technicians. In essence, TVET institutions can aid greatly in equipping youth with the required skills for accessing both corporate work and self-employment by improving responsiveness to the ever-changing skill requirements demanded by companies and communities. All in all, it is imperative for youth to acquire different skills for no one knows when those skills may be requires. Kudos! to all those who learnt and mastered a new skill during the global lockdown. You are doing great.
Catherine Muteithia
ACLAD Research and Communications Assistant