Why are schools failing to prepare young people for today’s job market?
- Why are unemployment rates for this generation double that of older generations?
- How can we teach the next generation relevant digital and professional skills?
- Which technologies will solve the failings of today’s education system?
Sustainable economic development requires people to have the opportunity of decent, fairly- paid work. The UN estimates over 75 million young people are currently unemployed and nearly 500 million new jobs are needed for those entering the labour market between now and the year 2030.
New jobs created by growing companies or entrepreneurial start-ups are essential to create a strong labour market. Yet employers trying to create new posts struggle to find young leaders with the necessary skills. Professional networking, digital and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills are essential for today’s global markets.
While approximately three quarters of the One Young World community thinks entrepreneurship is a respected career, only one in three were taught skills to become an entrepreneur. Schools are failing to prepare young people for today’s labour market, with youth joblessness almost double the rate of unemployment globally.
For most nations creating a stable growing economy is one of today’s major challenges. Closing the skills gap through education can enable everyone, particularly young people, to find or create employment opportunities.
