CESI Youth celebrates the 2026 UN World Youth Skills Day

On July 15, as the world marks the United Nations' World Youth Skills Day, CESI turns attention its theme this year, 'Skills for a Shared Future'. It highlights the need for young people to develop a broad range of competencies, including technical and vocational skills, digital and AI literacy, green skills, social-emotional skills, civic competencies and uniquely human abilities such as critical thinking, empathy and communication.

From the perspective of CESI Youth, skills, lifelong learning and education should not be viewed solely as tools for preparing young people for the labour market. They are equally essential for enabling every individual to reach their full potential, while fostering democratic participation, critical thinking, personal wellbeing and active citizenship in thriving and inclusive societies.

CESI Youth believes that young people must have a meaningful voice in shaping the skills of the future, the labour market and the political decisions that define the policy landscape. Vocational Education and Training (VET), alongside digital and AI skills, plays a crucial role in this process. However, these must be complemented by strong digital rights, ethical AI, media literacy and inclusive access to education and technology.

Skills policies must also promote equity, ensuring that disadvantaged learners are not left behind and that every young person has the opportunity to develop the competencies needed to succeed and contribute to society.

On the occasion of this years' World Youth Skills Day, Antonello Pietrangeli, CESI Youth Representative, reaffirms the commitment of CESI Youth to amplifying the voice of young workers across Europe. He advocates for stronger skills development, smoother school-to-work transitions, the banning of unpaid internships, better working conditions for young people and greater opportunities for youth to actively participate in shaping the societies and future they want to live in.

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