The United Nations (UN’s) World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) is annually observed across the globe on July 15 to highlight the critical importance of equipping youth with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.
- July 15, 2025, marks the 10th anniversary of the WYSD.
- The 2025 theme for WYSD is “Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills.”
Background:
i.On 18 December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/RES/69/145, declaring 15 July of every year as World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) to promote youth skills development at the global level.
- The resolution was proposed by Sri Lanka, with support from the Group of 77 (G-77) and China.
ii.The first WYSD was observed on 15 July 2015.
Note: This remains the only resolution sponsored by Sri Lanka at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States of America (USA) since 1999.
Significance of WYSD:
i.WYSD recognises youth as key drivers of peacebuilding, inclusive development, and sustainable futures.
ii.Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) helps youth gain job and business skills, boost eco-friendly economic growth, and support disadvantaged groups, including those not in education, employment, or training (NEETs).
iii.TVET directly contributes to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
iv.In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape economies, TVET systems must evolve to bridge the growing digital skills gap and ensure inclusive, equitable access to emerging technologies.
Key Statistics:
i.Economic Disengagement: 450 million youth (70% of the global youth population) lack adequate labor market skills
ii.AI Preparedness: 86% of students feel inadequately prepared for AI-enabled workplaces.
iii.Gender Gap: Only 27.4% of young women have employment access, compared to 40.3% of young men.
iv.Digital Divide: 90% of young women in low-income countries lack internet access.
v.Cyber Safety: Just 16% of countries have laws addressing cyberbullying in education.
2025 Events:
i.On the occasion of WYSD 2025, the New York, USA event was co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Portugal and Sri Lanka, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the UN Youth Office at the ILO UN Office. Focuses on ethical AI integration and youth empowerment
ii.UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre hosted the Paris, France event at the Learning Planet Institute. Features hybrid high-level panels with policymakers and youth leaders.
India’s Skill Development Initiatives:
1.The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation and restructuring of the Skill India Programme (SIP) by merging three major schemes- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 (PMKVY 4.0), Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (PM-NAPS), and Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Scheme into a composite Central Sector Scheme till March 2026.
- SIP was launched in 2015 under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to promote skill development across India.
Components of the Restructured SIP:
i.Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 (PMKVY 4.0)
Launched: 2015
Nodal Ministry: MSDE
Objective: To provide industry-aligned short-term training and recognition of prior learning (RPL) to youth for better employability.
ii.Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (PM-NAPS)
Launched: 2016
Nodal Ministry: MSDE
Objective: To promote apprenticeship training by incentivizing employers and expanding skill-based opportunities.
iii.Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Scheme
Originally Launched: 1967 as Shramik Vidyapeeth (SVP)
Renamed: 2000 as Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)
Nodal Ministry: MSDE
Objective: Provide a vocational training programme that helps women, rural youth, and poor communities aged 15 to 45 learn useful skills through low-cost and flexible courses.
2.Deen Dayal Upadhyaya – Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY):
Launched: 2014
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)
Objective: To provide skill training and placement for rural youth (aged 15–35) from low-income families, supporting sustainable employment and career growth.
3.Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme:
Announced: Union Budget of Financial Year 2024–25 (FY25)
Total Budget: Rs 99,446 crore
Goal: To generate 3.5 crore jobs within two years, by incentivising both first-time employees and employers, especially in the manufacturing sector, to boost formal job creation and workforce formalisation.
About UNESCO-UNEVOC:
i.The UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre is one of eight specialised education centres under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
ii.It is the only centre that works specifically to promote the UN’s goals through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
- The acronym UNEVOC is a combination of ‘UNESCO’ and ‘vocational education’.
Head – Friedrich Huebler
Headquarters – Bonn, Germany
