More than a million youths will benefit from a global academy to boost their resilience and skills in the job market.

Launched recently by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) and partners, the academy will impact skills in fields as data analytics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning that are in demand in labour markets globally.

The partners in the programme are IBM, Microsoft, Huawei and other digital companies .

Globally, many education and training systems lack the capacities needed to prepare youth for employment in these areas.

These skills will help the youth find jobs during the looming recession occasioned by Covid-19 pandemic that has made youth employment prospects look bleak.

Right skills

Unveiling the project known as ‘Skills for a Resilient Youth in the Era of Covid-19 and Beyond’, officials observed there was need to equip the youth with relevant skills in the face of emerging challenges.

“The crisis has highlighted the urgency of equipping the youth with the right skills to accelerate the transition to more inclusive, sustainable and resilient economies,” said Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at Unesco. 

According to Giannini, this requires massive investment in education and skills training and expanded partnerships, with employers to narrow the gap between demand for skills and the workplace.

According to Unesco, the impact of the pandemic on both education and employment has been dramatic.

Students enrolled in training institutions and apprentices have been affected by closures, as they are dependent on practical training and hardware that is only available in training centres and workplaces. 

Available data shows that young people account for more than 40 per cent of people employed in hard-hit sectors worldwide.