Saturday 15 July is World Youth Skills Day. First held in 2014, it’s a day, as the UN website puts it, “to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship”.

The 2023 theme, “Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future”, provides a call to recognise “the potential of young people as catalysts for change” against a backdrop of significant global environmental and economic challenges, and rapid technological advancement.

Aligned with Goal 4 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and key 2030 targets, it calls for societies the world over to “commit to providing young people with the skills and opportunities they need to build a prosperous and sustainable world for all”.

In Australia, one of the key pathways for equipping young people for the world of work has long been via apprenticeships and traineeships. In 2023, World Youth Skills Day places a specific emphasis on precisely these kinds of pathways.

Vocational training is key

The UN identifies technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as central to its 2030 education targets, saying it can “address multiple economic, social and environmental demands by helping youth develop the skills they need for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship”.

According to the UN: "TVET can equip youth with the skills required to access the world of work, including skills for self-employment. It can also improve responsiveness to changing skill-demands by companies and communities, increase productivity and increase wage levels.

“TVET can reduce access barriers to the world of work, for example through work-based learning, and ensuring that skills gained are recognised and certified. TVET can also offer skills development opportunities for low-skilled people who are under- or unemployed [and] out of school youth.”

As we’ve explored before, taking on an apprentice or trainee is a great way to fill key skills gaps and support the growth of your business. But it’s more than that. It’s about supporting the next generation of employees to get a start in their career and set them up for success in work and life.

GTOs make hiring apprentices and trainees easier

Despite the many benefits, some businesses are wary of engaging apprentices or trainees. There can be a significant administrative burden; it can be challenging to find someone who is the right fit; and the risk of non-completion can be disheartening for both the employer and apprentices themselves.

That’s why many businesses choose to engage a Group Training Organisation (GTO). A GTO with labour hire experience, such as Acclaimed Workforce, can perform much of the legwork and provide ongoing support to ensure you and the apprentice or trainee get the most out of the experience.

Some of the support provided by a GTO include: 

• Sourcing and vetting apprentices or trainees to ensure a good fit 
• Conducting inductions and safety training 
• Managing payroll and providing HR support for the apprentice or trainee 
• Monitoring their progress and supporting them to meet training targets 
• Taking responsibility for compliance, insurances and workers compensation 
• Ensuring contracts and wages are correct

“Equipping young people with quality education, training and skills is essential,” says UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “This World Youth Skills Day reminds us that teachers stand at the forefront of this great global effort.”

In the case of apprentices and trainees, “teachers” could easily include those host employers who are providing essential on-the-job training. To learn more about how Acclaimed Workforce can support you to support the next generation of employees in your business, contact us today.