World Youth Skills Day 2026: 'Skills for a shared future'

Forty percent of current skillsets no longer match what the job market requires — that is the figure the United Nations places at the centre of this year's World Youth Skills Day on 15 July, themed 'Skills for a shared future'.

The observance draws attention to a widening gap: one in five people aged 15–24 is not in employment, education or training, with young women affected at more than twice the rate of young men (28.2% versus 13.1%). The UN also cites that 86% of students feel unprepared for an AI-enabled workplace.

The 2026 theme argues for balanced competency profiles — technical and digital skills combined with green, social-emotional and civic capabilities — and positions TVET as the central instrument for closing the gap under Sustainable Development Goal 4.