On World Youth Skills Day, a session was held to address the increasing demand for AI skills across various industries and job roles. The event focused on essential AI skills for future employability, practical guidance on skill development, and promoting inclusive access to AI training.
Globally, 267 million young people aged 15-24 are not engaged in employment, education, or training (ILO), and 50% of employees will require reskilling by 2025 (World Economic Forum). Roy Saurabh, Senior Project Officer at UNESCO, highlighted that 65% of children entering primary school today will eventually work in jobs that do not yet exist, potentially exacerbating future skills gaps and unemployment. He urged policymakers to integrate advanced AI education into curricula and support lifelong learning programs.
The online event, organized by the Global Skills Academy (GSA) with partners such as Huawei, Cisco, IBM, and Aleph, discussed strategies for fostering inclusive AI skills development. The event showcased the GSA partners’ training offerings, which span core AI skills, AI-adjacent skills, and transversal skills across introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels. Training formats include online self-paced courses, virtual live sessions, project-based learning, and industry mentorship, with various certifications available.
Cisco will continue to provide AI training through its Learning Network and Network Academy, offering courses in AI, IoT, cybersecurity, and programming. Alfie Hamid, Head of Global Strategic Partnerships at Cisco, emphasized the broad demand for AI skills beyond the IT sector, including in healthcare, finance, and other industries.
IBM is contributing to the GSA with its SkillsBuild AI program, offering free training in up to 20 languages on topics such as AI ethics and generative AI. The program features live sessions, hands-on labs, and career discussions.
Aleph INC’s new Digital Marketing & AI Certificate, available through the GSA, provides training in AI-assisted content creation and SEO optimization. The course includes live sessions, expert masterclasses, and certification.
Huawei introduced the UNESCO Global Skills Academy – Huawei ICT Academy Digital Skills Learning platform, offering over 250 free courses in multiple languages, covering general and professional tech skills.
The GSA aims to support 10 million youth and adults globally by 2029, having already assisted over 850,000 learners in more than 60 countries. The rapid adoption of AI across industries underscores the urgent need for a workforce equipped with relevant AI competencies.
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