Creating better opportunities for young people with 4IR

Young people today face many economic, social and cultural challenges. The types of skills needed in the labour market are changing.

Technological changes are making many jobs vulnerable to automation, a large portion of job creation is driven by entrepreneurs and small businesses, while education systems are outdated and fragmented.

These challenges are more acute for youth in disadvantaged communities, and those who lack opportunities because of their gender, race, sexuality, disability or ethnic background.

Of today’s 1.8 billion youth, 200 million secondary-school-aged young people are not in school and 267 million aged 15-24 are not in employment, education or training (NEET). Meanwhile, over three-quarters of the 429 million employed youth have jobs in the informal sector. If current trends continue in low-income countries, only 8% of young people will achieve a minimum level of secondary skills compared with 70 per cent in high-income countries.

Founded in 2018, Generation Unlimited aims to transform education, employment and entrepreneurial outcomes for young people around the world at a global and local level, by joining together partners from business and governments with the reach and network of the United Nations.

Genesis has partnered with UNICEF in Rwanda, South Africa, Oman and Qatar to conduct a foundational landscape analysis that informs the development of the country investment agenda in each country.

This shared multi-partner agenda includes solutions to the challenges faced by youth and will transform education, employment and entrepreneurial outcomes for young people.