WHY
Worldwide, more young people than ever are participating in education. But despite these gains, youth unemployment remains at historically high levels. Additionally, businesses all over the world report serious problems in matching available talent with unfilled jobs. In 2016, some 40 per cent of employers surveyed in 43 countries and territories reported skills shortages. Quality apprenticeships offer a solution that benefits everyone: creating a reliable path to stable employment and higher income for young people while meeting the needs of enterprises. While the benefits of formal apprenticeship systems are not in dispute, the real challenge lies in implementing and scaling them up, particularly in developing countries.
HOW
Decent Jobs for Youth facilitates unique collaborations between enterprises and vocational education and training institutions, with the goal of combining classroom learning with practical workplace training. At country and regional level, we support the review of frameworks and policies on apprenticeships and the development of innovative strategies that incorporate entrepreneurial and digital skills into school curricula. This approach is reinforced by advocacy and knowledge sharing, allowing us to mobilize resources and share lessons learned on a global scale. By implementing pilot apprenticeship programmes in selected sectors, we support the development of demand-driven training models, designed to equip young people with market-relevant skills.
WHO
The ILO and UNESCO are committed to leading on this thematic priority. Decent Jobs for Youth brings together a growing number of partners who are committed to scaling up quality apprenticeship programmes that are mutually beneficial for young people and enterprises.
Call for partners for digital skill programme in Latin America and Africa
Join us to boost youth employment by equipping 25 million young people with digital skills
Create reliable paths to employment for young people
EVENTS
DECENT JOBS FOR YOUTH ACADEMY: ACCELERATING ACTION FOR LASTING IMPACT
The 2025 Decent Jobs for Youth Academy is a blended learning experience, combining online learning with dynamic face-to-face interactions.…
WEBINAR: Transitioning youth into the labour market: promises and pitfalls of microcredentials
There is no doubt that microcredentials are disrupting today’s learning and training systems. They offer a flexible alternative to…
Supporting youth employment in developing countries through apprenticeship programmes
Decent Jobs for Youth (DJY) and Generation Unlimited (GenU) are organizing a joint webinar on supporting youth employment in…
Virtual Launch of ILO Report - December 12th 3:00 PM
“Public employment services and active labour market policies for transitions: Responses to mega trends and crises.” This online launch…
World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureats - Leading by Example Program
The World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates is internationally recognized among the most important annual events in the field of peacemaking…
YOUTH TRANSITIONS - A GLOBAL INTERDISCIPLINARY POLICY RESEARCH CONFERENCE
The Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, with financial support…
Learning to Learn for Life and Work on World Youth Skills Day
This event is co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN, Permanent Mission of Portugal to the UN, Office of the…
Data Revolution for Ensuring Decent Work for all With A Focus on Youth
This event is a side event of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2019. Participants include representatives from member states,…
What Works in Youth Investment Programmes: Harnessing Joint Efforts to Achieve the SDGs
This event is a side event of the Lisboa+21. It is co-organized by the Office of the Secretary-General's Youth Envoy, UNFPA and ILO under…
Youth Employment Funders Group Meeting 2019
The annual in-person meeting of the YEFG will provide a venue for funders to strengthen collaboration towards a coordinated and effective…
High Level-Political Forum (HLPF)
Under the theme "Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality", the meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable…
Academy on Employment
Responding to current and evolving labour market challenges, the Academy aims to build the capacities of government officials, social…
2019 ECOSOC Youth Forum
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, to take place on 8-9 April 2019 will provide a platform for young leaders from around…
The Future of Work, Youth Employment and South-South Cooperation (BAPA+40 Side Event)
As a contribution to the BAPA+40 and in harmonisation with ILO’s Centenary celebration, this event will revolve around two strategic themes…
L'Apprentissage de Qualité en Afrique de l'Ouest : défis et opportunités
Cet atelier interactif vise à favoriser le partage de connaissances et des bonnes pratiques, ainsi que renforcer les …
WORLD CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUTH 2019 AND YOUTH FORUM LISBOA +21
In August 1998, several commitments were stated in the Lisbon Declaration on Youth Policies and Programmes, as part of the I World…
AIESEC International Presidents Meeting
AIESEC International Presidents Meeting brings together over 170 young leaders from 120 countries and territories. Through the seven-day…
Decent Jobs for Youth: Working together in Asia and the Pacific (APFSD side event)
The FAO, ILO, UNDP and UNFPA are joining forces with the Government of Bangladesh in the context of the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs…
Future of Work for African Youth Conference
The Future of Work for African Youth Conference is an interactive event aimed at steering dialogue about how Africa can harness the…
Research Workshop on "Boosting Decent Employment for Africa's Youth'
Boosting Decent Employment for Africa’s Youth is a multi-funder research initiative launched in 2018 by the International Development…
Global Education Meeting 2018
UNESCO’s Global Education Meeting reviewed progress towards the global education targets and commitments in the 2030 Agenda. It brought a…
International Youth Day 2018
The theme of the 2018 International Youth Day is ‘‘Safe Spaces for Youth’’. On 10 August, the official commemorative event will be hosted…
International Youth Day 2018
The theme of the 2018 International Youth Day is ‘‘Safe Spaces for Youth’’. On 10 August, the official commemorative event will be hosted…
Decent employment for young people at risk: multi-stakeholder partnerships to leave no one behind
Bringing together the expertise of the academia, NGO practitioners, corporations, UN agencies and young people themselves, the objective of…
Youth Employment Funders Group Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the Youth Employment Funders Group (YEFG) aims to strengthen donors’ collaboration to address the youth employment…
Launch of the engagement platform of the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth
On 29 November 2017, partners of Decent Jobs for Youth and other key youth employment actors will meet to jointly launch the engagement…
Ending poverty in all its forms and creating decent jobs for youth
This breakout session of the ECOSOC Youth Forum will provide a platform for Member States, young leaders and youth organizations to discuss…
YENA Conference 2017: The Future on Youth and Employment in North Africa
The International Labour Organization will host a High-Level Conference on Youth and Employment in North Africa with participants from…
Productive Inclusion of vulnerable young people.
The 1MiO initiative aims to create one million opportunities for skills development, employment,&
Supporting evidence-based policies for youth
J-PAL’s mission is to reduce poverty by ensuring that policies are informed by scientific evidenc