PwC, Unicef and Generation Unlimited have been working together to look at the challenges facing young people trying to start their careers and find employment.

Today, the world has 1.3bn young people who are trying to start out, find their way and make a life. But the harsh reality is that millions of these young people will find it hard to make a life for themselves because they will struggle to find work.

While the youth population has exploded by 30% in the last 20 years or so, the number in the labour force has actually decreased by approximately 12%. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even tougher for young people to find a job.

When a young person wants to work but lacks the opportunity to do so, that is a tragedy both for the individual and for society. And one of the reasons that youth in every region struggle to find work is a mismatch between the skills they can offer and the skills employers need.

This is why UNICEF and PwC have partnered with Generation Unlimited to develop a practical road map to help young people understand what skills employers want, how to acquire those skills and get the certifications to prove it.  This is called ‘reaching YES’ (youth employment and skilling).

The aim is to work in partnerships with government, businesses, multilateral organisations and young people themselves to achieve this. Helping young people acquire the skills they need to succeed is not just an economic or business imperative; it is a social imperative too and helps young people to have a better quality, more rewarding career.

The work has global aspirations and is not just limited to the UK so to see the full report click here.