Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian nation, advocated the need of educating children in a skill-based system, so that they would be skilled and employable after their education. Education should not only aim at moulding a good human being, but also ensure a decent means of living and the ability to lead an honourable life in the world. On July 15, the World Youth Skills Day, the UN envisages a world where the young people are self-reliant and responsible for themselves.
According to a recent study, the youth are almost three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. They are continuously exposed to lower quality of jobs, greater labour market inequalities and longer and more insecure school-to-work transitions. In the case of women, there is a higher probability of their being unemployed than men. In addition, women, in general, are underpaid and forced to undertake part-time jobs or work under temporary contracts. In this regard, the UN considers that education and training are key determinants of success in the labour market.
The World Youth Skill Day is an opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of empowering the youth and investing in youth skills development.