Upskilling the world’s youth: launching a collaboration between PwC and UNICEF

I am proud to share that PwC is joining forces with UNICEF to help upskill millions of young people around the world. Together with UNICEF, we will convene public, private and civil society stakeholders to develop investment opportunities, programs and innovations that support young people. We will also co-create research on the global skills challenge, and develop and expand education and skills programs in countries including India and South Africa.

Our collaboration with UNICEF will support Generation Unlimited (GenU), a global multi-sector partnership that connects secondary-age education and skills development to employment and entrepreneurship. Launched in 2018 by UNICEF, GenU’s global target is to reach 1.8 billion young people aged between 10-24 and to prepare them with the right skills in their path for sustainable livelihoods and productive futures.

Addressing the skills gap

Upskilling our youth is an issue that matters to me on a personal level as well as a professional level. We all likely see the challenges for our sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and employees. While this particular focus is on our youth, the need to upskill is a challenge impacting all ages. 

With technology continuing to reinvent the workplace, it’s clear that the jobs of the future will require a different combination of skills and training than those we depend on today. And without proper preparation, these skills will only become harder to acquire. 

This shortfall will create additional barriers for young people in communities that are already lacking in opportunity, which will likely limit their future potential and the potential positive impact these future leaders may have on all of us. Without the right skills, many may struggle to stay relevant in the rapidly evolving labor market and secure employment.  

The case for change

Figures from the United Nations underline the case for change. Globally, six in 10 children and adolescents do not achieve minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics, 200 million adolescents are out of school, and there are 71 million young people unemployed worldwide. 

Most recently, in a survey of 40,000 young people by UNICEF, 31% said that the skills and training programs offered to them did not match their career aspirations.

And with 20-40% of the jobs currently held by 16-24 year olds at risk of automation by the mid-2030s, according to PwC UK estimates, this could get worse if it isn’t addressed.

This all points to the pressing need to upskill young people, particularly in communities where there are fewer opportunities to learn new skills and seek employment. 

Investing in our future

As I wrote in my World Economic Forum blog in January, when people are upskilled, it isn’t just the people themselves who benefit, but also businesses, the wider economies in which they operate, and society as a whole. 

If we’re to successfully address and solve global challenges, everyone has a role to play – governments, businesses, international organizations and individuals. And in an increasingly unpredictable world, we need strong leadership, innovation and adaptability more than ever before. 

One thing is certain: young people are fundamental to our future. They represent the hope for a better tomorrow, and they are the future leaders to drive us there. They will need a solid understanding of the digital world combined with soft skills to not only succeed in the digital world, but also help address increasingly complex and interlinked global challenges. They will need the leadership opportunities and skills to lead the way. That’s why we’re collaborating with UNICEF to help upskill millions of youth around the world. 

Find out more about PwC’s collaboration with UNICEF here. This collaboration represents an important milestone in PwC’s New world. New skills. journey and builds on PwC’s existing community ambition to help maximise the potential of 15 million people, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social and micro enterprises by 2022.

#NewWorldNewSkills, #Upskilling