World Youth Skills Day: History, significance and this year's theme

World Youth Skills Day 2025: In 2014, the UN General Assembly declared July 15 as World Youth Skills Day. This year marks the 10th anniversary of WYSD.

Published on: Jul 15, 2025, 10:17:54 IST

By HT Education Desk

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World Youth Skills Day is celebrated on July 15 every year. A United Nations initiative, this day highlights the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment and entrepreneurship, among others.

World Youth Skills Day 2025 is being celebrated with the theme: Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

In 2014, the UN General Assembly declared July 15 as World Youth Skills Day. This year marks the 10th anniversary of WYSD celebrations.

Also read: World Youth Skill Day: Yogi to inaugurate 2-day skill fair, expo today

World Youth Skills Day 2025 Theme: Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills

This year’s Youth Skill Day's theme focuses on youth empowerment through Artificial Intelligance and digital skills.

As the fourth industrial revolution reshapes economies through Artificial Intelligence (AI), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) must evolve to equip youth with future-ready skills, the UN said in a statement.

It added that AI is transforming how we live, learn and work — but it also poses serious risks if not implemented equitably.

A United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) statement stated that AI is rapidly changing technical and vocational training by personalising learning through intelligent tutoring systems, supporting immersive training using virtual reality (VR), streamlining certification and career guidance and modernising curricula and aligning training with labour market needs. However, along with these reforms, the digital divide will grow, especially for marginalised youth.

It added that AI brings opportunities, but it also presents major challenges in TVET, such as bias and inequality, low educator readiness, limited infrastructure, high costs, ethical and privacy concerns, digital misinformation, underrepresentation and human disconnection.

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“On World Youth Skills Day, let us come together to recognize the power of young people as drivers of change—and commit to equipping them with AI and digital skills to tackle today’s challenges and shape a more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable future,” the United Nations said.

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HT Education Desk
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