World Skills Day to urge youths to become proficient

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DHAKA, July 1, 2020 (BSS) – The World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) will be observed on July 15 aiming to call upon the world youths to become proficient in various skills.

The main purpose of this day declared by the United Nations is to call upon the youths of the globe to become proficient in various skills and to highlight the important role of skilled youths in meeting the future global challenges.

According to an International Labour Organization (ILO) release, this year World Youth Skills Day is being celebrated at a challenging time.

The ongoing Covid-19 epidemic and lockdowns have threatened the continuity of global skills development, and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions have been shut down worldwide.

According to UNESCO, about 80 percent of the world’s students are unable to go to school.

Due to the effect of Corona, many people all over the world including Bangladesh are becoming unemployed, it said.

Since 2016, the number of unemployed youth (NEETs) has been increasing worldwide. According to the Bangladesh Labour Force Survey 2016-17, one out of every four young people in the country (26.39%) is not involved in work, education or training.

Among the 2.2 million youths who enter the job market every year, most of them have no skills.

The theme of this year’s World Youth Skills Day is “Youth Skills to End the Epidemic and the Future.” Under this theme, various initiatives have been taken to celebrate this day all over the world.

The ILO’s European Union-funded project Skills-21 to mark the WYSD2020 has taken several initiatives to popularize TVET education and skills development.

These include online quiz competition for students in graphic design and electrical installation and maintenance trades from TVET institutes across the country, online webinars with experts on the theme of the day and publish stories of successful TVET students’ through print and digital media.

Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director for ILO to Bangladesh, said, “With more than two million young men and women entering the labour market each year, it’s imperative the country’s youth are equipped with the right skills, qualification, and opportunities to access apprenticeships and decent works. Those same opportunities equally apply to young women, minority communities and people with disabilities.”

Those interested in participating in the quiz are requested to register at http://ilo.onlinequiz.io/