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H.E. Mubarak Saeed Al Shamsi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Centre For Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET) today unveiled the first-ever ‘Youth Declaration’ on the future of skills and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) at the Ministers TVET Summit being held during WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017.
WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Executive Council, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from October 15-18.
The ‘Youth Declaration’ - handed over to policymakers during the Ministers TVET Summit, attended by national ministers of education, skills, industry, and business - was drafted through the active participation of 300 young professionals from around the world who worked in six think tanks: Innovation, Happiness & Tolerance, Green Economy, Global Citizenship, ‘Industry 4.0’ or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and Entrepreneurship.
Since August, 300 young professionals from around the world teamed up, through online forums, to discuss key questions on the future of skills and TVET.
Several topical issues were addressed during the online forums - discussions which were continued at the International TVET Youth Forum on 14-15 October - including the role that skills will play in building future smart cities; skills that will drive forward innovation, solutions to make TVET more diverse and inclusive, and the skills needed to contribute to social good and to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.
Together the young professionals developed the Youth Declaration to present to global decision-makers on the opening day of the WorldSkills Conference 2017, coinciding with the first Ministers TVET Summit.
H.E. Shamma Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, said: “This is a first-of-its-kind event in the UAE, and we are extremely proud to partner with the youth. The International TVET Youth Forum showcases an important milestone that youth can offer to their future. As you take on your charge today and to coauthor our international skills initiative, your voices are powerful, and you are the alchemist of a shared future in world skills and in education.”
She added:” The youth who are participating today are global citizens in hyper-connected era, and we are privileged to be the most well-educated generation in history. The Youth Forum is a perfect example where a young person from Japan and a young person from Morocco can co-define a common future. We are creative and entrepreneurial evidenced by a booming startup era here in the UAE and worldwide, and we want to make a visible impact on the world around us and we part of the greater narrative.”
Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Mubarak Saeed Al Shamsi, said: “The purpose of organizing the TVET Youth Forum was our effort to give a group of bright minds from all across the globe the opportunity to reach out to decision-makers, thus benefiting from the momentum and positive atmosphere associated with hosting of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017.
“The Youth Forum represented an important platform to get a closer look at the concerns and needs of the new generation, and identify their opinion on many issues that have a direct impact on them, such as the labour market requirements, sustainable development, equal opportunities and gender equality.
“The youth have done their part and now we will have to do ours by reviewing and discussing this Youth Declaration, and taking the necessary measures and decisions to serve this important segment that will lead the world towards a brighter and advanced future.”
Several participants, who enthusiastically participated in the online forum, shared their personal views.
Almaha Al Saman Al Nuaimi, of the UAE, took part in a discussion entitled ‘The role of skills in building future smart cities’. She said: “This program exists to think of smarter methods that will allow students and experts to interact and talk about the future and how current and future generations will adapt to it.”
Sharing her view on the topic; ‘How can skills be the driving force of innovation?’, Alia Alkaabi, of the UAE, said: “I believe that technology is giving us a spur to create new jobs that never existed before. It is true that it is taking over some jobs, but why can't we say that technology is "transforming jobs" rather than ‘replacing them’ only."
Her teammate, Lina Zuaiter, of the UAE, commented: “I believe that we need to focus on nurturing unique human skills that artificial intelligence (AI) and machines seem unable to replicate.”
Iipinge Riika Leva lipinge from Namibia, who participated in the dialogue on ‘How can skills contribute to social good’, stated: “With TVET skills you will be a ‘jack-of-all-skills’ in the community, meaning you can do anything related to any trade and you can also teach people from the community.”
More than 100,000 visitors from across the UAE and around the world are expected to come to Abu Dhabi. The key objective of the WorldSkills Competition is to raise awareness of technical and vocational education among the world youth.
Abu Dhabi was selected as host city in 2013, with the Competition awarded to EmiratesSkills, under the umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET).
The Competition is open to the public free of charge at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 15–18 October, with the Closing ceremonies being held at the du Arena on 19 October. Visitors will need to register online or upon arrival at ADNEC.
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