15 July 2025 marks the 10th anniversary since World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) was first celebrated in 2015. The theme for WYSD 2025 focuses on Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills.
As the Fourth Industrial Revolution reshapes economies through Artificial Intelligence (AI), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) must evolve to equip youth with future-ready skills. AI is transforming how we live, learn and work, creating opportunities and challenges. EfVET supports WYSD 2025 and calls for inclusive and ethical AI teaching and learning in TVET to empower the world’s youth with #FutureReadySkills.
Why this matters?
- AI is rapidly changing TVET by:
- Personalising learning through intelligent tutoring systems
- Supporting immersive training using virtual reality (VR)
- Streamlining certification and career guidance
- Modernising curricula and aligning training with labour market needs
- But without systemic reform, the digital divide will grow, especially for marginalized youth.
Key challenges
- Institutional barriers (educator readiness and future-ready curriculum)
- Financial constraints (infrastructure and tools)
- Ethical concerns (bias, data privacy, human disconnection, unequal access)
A call to action is needed so governments, educators, youth, policy-makers and tech developers come together to advocate for an ethical, inclusive and human-centered AI in TVET, to share best practices and fund digital skills training, to support grassroots innovations that increase youth employability and amplify youth voices in decision-making about the future of work. Check out these two resources to get started:
UNESCO’s Global Skills Academy: https://www.unesco.org/en/global-education-coalition/skills-academy?hub=68184
Draft AI Literacy Framework: https://ailiteracyframework.org/