Unicef and software company Sap have signed an agreement to provide quality education and job training to young people from disadvantaged communities
By 2030, companies around the world are expected to be in a position to employ a workforce of 2 billion young people worldwide. However, today, more than 20% of them do not have jobs and, furthermore, neither the training nor the skills needed to find decent jobs.
Consequently, the software multinational SAP and UNICEF have entered into a three-year partnership to provide quality education, life skills, and job training to young people from disadvantaged communities with the aim of preparing them for decent jobs and active citizenship. An agreement that was announced during the 74th edition of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, which brought together businesses, governments and NGOs and whose results will benefit young people in Africa, Asia and Europe, starting with India, Turkey and Vietnam. The UNICEF representative in Vietnam, Rana Flowers, expressed her hope that this programme will help young people to develop their skills so that they can contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.
This agreement seeks to develop a standardised national curriculum, training programmes for the workforce, and in-depth research to enhance the awareness and connections between the private sector and future talent with a view to building sustainable educational models and focusing on worker inclusion initiatives to help young people thrive so that they can provide companies with skilled workforces.
“For young people, the path to a successful future goes through quality education that equips and empowers them with the skills they need to thrive in today’s workforce”, stated the UNICEF executive director, Henrietta Fore. “Young people are some of the world’s best creatives, enthusiasts and thinkers. We are excited to work with SAP to harness young people’s energy and ideas and help them contribute to their economies and societies” she added.
‘Generation Unlimited’
This alliance between SAP and UNICEF forms part of Generation Unlimited, a global partnership working to prepare young people to become engaged and productive citizens. Launched one year ago, it calls for multisector public and private investment in youth education and employment, while engaging young people in these efforts.
“People are anxious about the opportunity gap in this new economy. Businesses need to take steps to upskill the current and future workforce, regardless of their age or where they live in the world. Together with UNICEF, SAP will focus on starting in the classroom, where the foundation of every career is built. We will increase collaboration with the public sector and focus on the best possible curriculum to prepare future workers. This is another example where doing what’s right and doing what’s right for business are in perfect harmony”, said SAP CEO Bill McDermott.
