Uniting forces for Skills, Jobs and Youth

Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World. This was the focus area of the 48th World Economic Forum. I had the opportunity to meet with our partners from the Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN), to further encourage and link business initiatives and youth employment opportunities for today and for the future. 

As a global company, we are determined to help young people develop their skills and gain experience so that they can find jobs or create their own business. As part of Nestlé’s Global Youth Initiative, we ambition to help 10 million young people around the world to have access to more economic opportunities by 2030.

In many cases traditional education, if available, no longer prepares young people for the current and future world of work. It is estimated that over 60% of the children entering primary school today will have jobs that do not exist yet. They need the right skills and experience to help them strive in a rapidly changing economic landscape. This is why since 2013 we have supported hundreds of thousands of young adults to prepare for the world of work by providing working opportunities, traineeships, internships and apprenticeships through our Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative.

This is also why we joined the Global Apprenticeship Network in 2015 as a member company. The GAN, launched in 2013, is a business driven coalition of committed companies, business and employer organizations, international organizations, social partners, NGOs and youth groups. Together with member companies and partners, we pledged with the GAN to collectively impact 20 million young adults and establish a global footprint in 20 countries by 2020. Being a Swiss company, Nestlé has a strong expertise in apprenticeships and work-based learning. We acknowledge these programs as key success factors in bridging the gap between school and the workplace. Dual Vocational programs create value for our company and for society and they represent a key action area for our Global Youth Initiative commitment extending to 2030.

I am very pleased Nestlé is a member of the GAN and look forward to enhancing our collaboration, and to increasing our positive impact in society. Supporting youth employment, helping youth integration to the world of work and to society is one of the best ways to create sustainable communities and to create a shared future in a fractured world.