The Department of Vocational and Technical Education (VoTEC) has joined the world to celebrate the 2024 edition of the World Youth Skills Day on the theme: “Youth Skills for Peace and Development."
The theme highlights the role of youth in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
The event, marked every July 15, underlines the opportunities and challenges that young people face in employment and the need for them to be equipped with the skills to successfully manage evolving challenges in the world of work.
The Guest Speaker for the event, a Professor of Development Economics at the University of Cape Coast, Prof. John Victor Mensah, said Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) plays an important role in peacebuilding and conflict prevention for national and sustainable development. However, he stressed that a poorly designed, managed and funded TVET system was not likely to achieve the expected impact on its graduates and their communities.
A beautifully decorated student performing a traditional dance
He continued, "The nexus between TVET and peacebuilding requires transversal skills including communication, teamwork, adaptability, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, leadership, and emotional intelligence. Even though these skills are not specific to any particular job, they are valued by employers across a wide range of fields."
Prof. Mensah noted that violent conflicts had the potential to cause human-induced migration and displacement, thereby hindering access to education, learning and employment outcomes.
He therefore called on all stakeholders to promote peacebuilding and conflict prevention toward youth empowerment. He pointed out that youth unemployment threatened local, national and global security.
To him, TVET was the panacea to address the needs of the local job market and contributes to both economic development and sustainable development.
A student explaining a prototype factory to some patrons at the exhibition
He surmised that "On World Youth Skills Day, all stakeholders should unite to support young people as agents of peace, provide them with the skills and opportunities, address challenges facing TVET programmes, and contribute to a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future. The youth should also submit themselves to the requirements of quality TVET programmes."
Speaking virtually, Mr. Friedrich Huebler, the Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC, highlighted the important ways that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) could promote peace, citizenship, and sustainable development.
As well as the ability to find decent work and productive employment, he emphasized how important skills were in creating truly global citizens.
He said, “TVET fosters a sense of global citizenship by exposing young people to diverse perspectives and cross-cultural understanding, empathy, and cooperation. As global citizens, young people can appreciate the interconnectedness of our world and actively address global challenges.”
The Head of VoTEC, Dr. (Mrs.) Patience Danquah Monnie said the Department would prioritise youth skill development as it remained the only path to peaceful coexistence.
Prof. John Victor Mensah addressing the event
"As we celebrate the youth today, I would like our vibrant youth to know that your energy, creativity, and dedication are the driving forces behind a brighter future. Embrace the opportunities you are offered and the skills you are learning, for they are the tools with which you will build peace and foster development in your communities," she continued.
The Chairman of the event, the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology Education, Prof. Douglas Darko Agyei, in his remarks, charged the youth to take a keen interest in the acquisition of skills that would make them employable so they do not end up joining thousands of unemployed youth parading on the streets across the country due to the lack of job opportunities in the country.
The event attracted students from Senior High Schools as well as representatives from the various youth groups in the Cape Coast Municipality.
As part of the Day, a skills exhibition programme was held to showcase the ingenuity of students.
The World Youth Skills Day was instituted by the United Nations at the 2014 General Assembly to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC