3 November 2025
WorldSkills champions youth voices in Towards a Global TVET Agenda launch
During the launch of the initiative at the Global TVET Forum 2025 in Berlin on 28 October, WorldSkills advocated for youth engagement and positioned WorldSkills Conference as a platform to advance the agenda.
An important milestone in the development of a global strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) took place last week in Berlin. The Global TVET Forum 2025 saw the launch of the Towards a Global TVET Agenda initiative, which aims to strengthen international cooperation in skills development.
Sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ) and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), the initiative will support the development of a global TVET agenda. At its core are multilateral organizations including UNESCO-UNEVOC, the European Training Foundation (ETF), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Over the next two years, these organizations will collaborate to implement measures across four areas:
- Knowledge sharing and global fora
- Global and regional TVET innovations – capacity building for social partner involvement
- Prototyping TVET data reporting
- Partnership for Excellence
As a supporter from the outset, WorldSkills was invited to take part in the Opening Session. Highlighting the WorldSkills Conference as a key platform to advance the Global TVET Agenda, Laurence Gates, Chair of the WorldSkills Conference Coalition and CEO of WorldSkills Europe, delivered a statement alongside other partners.
Speaking about the goal of WorldSkills to elevate the WorldSkills Conference into a globally recognized platform for skills leadership and strategic development, Gates said: “We believe it will be the right arena – the right ecosystem – to advance the _Global TVET Agenda_ and to ensure that skills have the place they deserve in the world’s shared vision beyond 2030.”
Bringing in the perspectives of young people, Shae White, former WorldSkills Champions Trust representative for the Americas and the Caribbean, joined a panel discussion alongside TVET representatives from Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Europe to share regional perspectives on the launch of the initiative.
Shae outlined what she believes should be the foremost priorities for improving TVET outcomes in the Caribbean region. She emphasized the need to change negative perceptions and to bridge “the disconnect between what is the industry standard and what is taught at TVET institutions,” noting that young people should not “have to play catch-up” after completing their training.
Addressing the fact that she was the only young representative in the session, Shae reminded the audience of the importance of involving youth in agenda setting. “Youth are the future, and you are making decisions that directly affect us and our livelihoods, so you need to absolutely involve and listen to what the young people have to say.”
Asked about the value of skills competitions, Shae said that WorldSkills was, for her, the most formative experience of her life.
“I never would have envisioned that doing a Competition on a whim when I was 17 would have afforded me the opportunity to be in rooms like this one, and to share my perspective and views,” she said, adding that WorldSkills is much more than a skills competition. “You learn so much not only about your skill area, but about yourself as a person, as a professional, and about what you have to offer beyond being a practical, hands-on worker.”
Targeting experts from the UNEVOC Network and TVET stakeholders from global and regional multilateral organizations, the Global TVET Forum 2025 took place over three days, from 28 to 30 October. The second and third days featured presentations of UNESCO-UNEVOC’s Innovation and Excellence in TVET project and study visits showcasing Germany’s Dual Education system.