World Youth Skills Day quotes

Enhancing youth employability-bridging the gap between academia, industry

Chinmay Hegde, Co-Founder, CEO, and Managing Director, Astrikos.ai

Employability remains a significant challenge for today's youth, especially in our country. As the job market evolves, many graduates struggle to acquire the necessary skills and experience. To address this, partnerships between industry and academia are crucial, and Astikos.ai is already making a significant impact. Establishing Centers of Excellence and hands-on living labs is essential. Practical experience bridges the gap between theoretical learning and real-world application, enhancing students' skills and competencies. Inclusive internship development programs ensure that every young person gains valuable industry experience and builds professional networks. 

Celebrating the power of skills to drive development

Seshadri Venkatachalapathi, Digital Campus Lead, BT Group

In a rapidly changing job market, empowering youth with the right skills has never been more crucial. As we mark World Youth Skills Day 2024, the theme "Youth Skills for Peace and Development" calls upon us to recognize the untapped potential of young people as agents of positive change. Digital at BT Group is committed to this cause. By equipping the next generation with a holistic skill set that encompasses all manner of skills from AI to professional development to leading inclusively, we can foster a better workplace and culture. Our pledge to grow our team in India by the end of 2024 is more than a business goal; it's an investment in the architects of tomorrow.

Through upskilling initiatives and promoting digital leadership, we're preparing youth for the jobs of the future while also creating a workplace that values work-life balance, diversity, and inclusion. We have accelerated the modernisation of the learning experience across BT Group, partnering with Degreed to deliver Digital Campus, a new intuitive, personalised learning experience enabling an anytime, anywhere opportunity for colleagues. This helps build a culture where learning becomes a habit for everyone with videos, courses, articles and podcasts. It also connects colleagues enabling social learning and sharing of resources and expertise across the business.

As we celebrate the power of skills to drive development, we are nurturing the changemakers of tomorrow and building a future where every young person can thrive. On this World Youth Skills Day, let's renew our commitment to empowering youth, because when they succeed, we all succeed.

Equipping youth for the jobs of today

Ankit Aggarwal, Founder and CEO of Unstop

More than 50% of the workforce is expected to be Gen Z in the next 5 years. So upskilling and giving them the right opportunities to grow is imperative. We’ve seen how they are eager to explore new things and equally focus on understanding what not to do. In fact, as per the Unstop Talent Report 2024, over 88% of HRs prefer skills over experience, academics, or references. This shows how recruiters are also shifting towards skill based hiring.

And to help with this, at Unstop we’ve created a digital playground for these Gen Zs to learn, upskill, showcase their skills, gain CV points and get hired while unlocking their true potential throughout their academic journey.

From learning opportunities through self-paced courses and modules on Unstop Pro, a gamified platform to practice skills like coding, interview prep, skills assessments and more, to mentorships from industry leaders and experts who have gone through the same cycle as a student and know the problem areas that need to be addressed.

The best way for these students to showcase their skills is through competitions and challenges that push them to put their best foot forward and solve business problems that companies are facing.

Investing in Gen Z's upskilling isn't about securing a talent pipeline for our company, it's about building an unstoppable workforce for our nation. A generation equipped to tackle the challenges of the future, armed with the knowledge to solve complex problems, and the agility to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. That's the power we unleash when we empower Gen Z.

This isn't just about equipping them for the jobs of today, it's about preparing them to create the jobs of tomorrow. We're talking about a future driven by automation, artificial intelligence, and a globalized marketplace. Gen Z needs the skills to not just navigate this landscape, but to lead the charge.

Equipping youth with necessary skills

Arati Porwal, Country Head – India, CFA Institute

The youth today are increasingly confident and clear about their career paths and prospects, despite global uncertainties, the rapid acceleration in deployment of technology and artificial intelligence and the evolving recruitment landscape. A recent survey by CFA Institute – The 2024 Graduate Outlook Survey, found that 73% Indian graduates view upskilling and advanced qualifications as essential in today’s job market, with nearly 90% feeling positive about their future career prospects, highlighting their proactive alignment with skill development and the industry’s evolving demands.

This World Youth Skills Day, we recognize the immense potential that young Indians hold in shaping our country’s future. We must remain steadfast in equipping our youth with necessary skills, professional certifications and the ethical grounding needed to support their career trajectories and lead in an increasingly dynamic global marketplace.

Empower youth with skills

Nishchae Suri, Managing Director at Cornerstone OnDemand India

On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, it is imperative to acknowledge the pivotal role of equipping our youth with essential skills that play in shaping the future of our society. In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape and shifting workforce dynamics, the challenges faced by the younger generation, particularly Gen Z, are unprecedented. With 40% of employees’ skills projected to be obsolete in four years and 67% of the world’s youth lacking digital skills, many traditional entry-level roles have been automated, creating an urgent need for new skill sets.

It is our collective responsibility to bridge this workforce readiness gap by providing continuous learning opportunities and nurturing a culture of innovation. 87% of organizations are experiencing skill gaps or expect to within a few years, and addressing these gaps is crucial. Our mission is to empower the youth to navigate and thrive in this dynamic environment. By investing in their potential and ensuring they have access to the tools and resources needed for success, we can drive positive change and secure a prosperous future for all. On this significant day, let us reaffirm our commitment to advancing youth skills development and celebrate the limitless potential of our young leaders.

Laying the Foundation for an Inclusive Future on World Youth Skills Day

World Youth Skills Day 2024 commemorates the theme "Youth Skills for Peace and Sustainable Development," emphasizing universal education as its foundation. UN General Assembly gave July 15 as the title of World Youth Skills Day in November 2014 and it was first observed in July 2015. This year's celebration seeks to spotlight the widespread issues of youth unemployment and underemployment worldwide. It aims to equip young people with economic empowerment and essential skills, stimulating their readiness for meaningful employment. The call is directed towards educational institutions, governments, and organizations to prioritize education initiatives that enhance skills training, enabling youth to actively contribute to achieving sustainable development goals.

Shaheen Mistri, Founder & CEO of Teach For India, accentuated the organization's core mission, stating, “It is evident that we are living in a rapidly changing world where conflict is becoming increasingly prevalent, which impacts children greatly. We need to build their understanding and practice of peace. Here, education plays a pivotal role in not only empowering our youth but also skilling and nurturing them to be global citizens and advocates for peace. At Teach For India, we strongly believe that our nation is built in classrooms, and to be able to do that, educators, students, and parents have to share this common belief in order to build leaders for tomorrow. On World Youth Skills Day, we aspire to create a future that is inclusive and diverse, providing young people with the necessary tools to build a peaceful India.”

Ms. Ophira Bhatia, Senior Director, India & Lead, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Corporate & Government Affairs, Mondelez International

"As we celebrate World Youth Skills Day, Mondelez India is proud to highlight the work we have done to upskill and train young people over the years through our decade-long national CSR program, youth skilling is a key priority for us because we believe it has the transformative impact to enhance the long-term quality of life. Over the past decade, we have trained nearly 1,000 young individuals.

To build on our efforts, we partnered with the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) to launch a pilot project focused on providing skill training and placement opportunities. This project aims to benefit 660 young individuals in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, and Pune, Maharashtra, over the next year, targeting sectors such as Management, Hospitality & Tourism, Retail, IT-ITeS, and Logistics.

In Pune, we will train over 300 young people in the logistics, management, and IT-ITeS sectors, preparing them for roles such as documentation executive, office executive, and customer care executive. In Bhind, more than 300 candidates will receive training in management, retail, and tourism and hospitality for roles in security, retail, and front office, among others.

Aligned with this year's theme, 'Youth Skills for Peace and Development,' our efforts emphasize the transformative power of skill-building. In a world facing complex challenges, empowering youth with employment skills is crucial for enhancing livelihoods and income, thereby fostering sustainable and inclusive development."