The need to develop young people’s skills for work has become urgent. Governments around the world are grappling with the long-term consequences of the financial crisis and the challenges posed by increasingly knowledge-based economies. If countries are to grow and prosper in a rapidly changing world, they need to pay even greater attention to developing a skilled workforce. And all young people, wherever they live and whatever their background, require skills that prepare them for decent jobs so they can thrive and participate fully in society.
The essential need for skills development for youth was recognized in the third EFA goal, focusing on ‘the learning needs of all young people and adults’. Because of the vagueness of the goal and uncertainty over how it should be measured, however, it has not received the attention it deserves from governments, aid donors, the education community or the private sector – and it is now more critical than ever.