Skill development and youth transition to work
UNICEF's skill building programmes for young people
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UNICEF's ambition is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and participation in their society for marginalized girls and boys, especially those affected by humanitarian crises, and other negative circumstances. This entails advising governments on expanding access to secondary education and supporting marginalized adolescents through various pathways such as formal education, vocational training, and apprenticeships. UNICEF's Education Strategy 2019–2030 emphasizes targeting marginalized children, including adolescents, to fulfill their right to education and leverage their developmental opportunities, recognizing adolescence as a crucial period for lifelong impact.
For adolescents from marginalized backgrounds, the issue is even more complex. Most marginalized adolescent girls and boys often lack access to secondary education, either due to never attending school, dropping out of primary education, or facing challenges with late registration and interruptions. Thus, it is UNICEF’s mission to provide these young people with skills and knowledge they could never acquire at schools or colleges.
Skills are essential to the success of young people. In today's fast-paced world, having the right skills is not just about finding a job, it is about being prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the future. Young people with various adaptable and flexible skills are the need of the job market to sustain and develop economy, eliminate poverty and inequality, and contribute to the inclusive and fair society. Given the dynamic nature of industries and technologies, young people must continually adapt and acquire new skills throughout their careers. Career guidance plays crucial role in helping individuals navigate their professional journeys. Effective career guidance provides insights into various career paths, matches individuals with opportunities that align with their interests and skills, and equips them with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about their futures. By offering mentorship and support, career guidance empowers individuals to pursue fulfilling careers and make meaningful contributions to society.
UNICEF aims to equip Serbia’s youth with essential skills for the digital world of today and multiplying learning pathways and fostering inclusive career choices, particularly for marginalized groups.
UNICEF's mission in Serbia focuses on implementing work-relevant skill-building programmes tailored to the sensitive developmental stage of adolescence, aiming to complement foundational skills acquired in early childhood. Additionally, efforts are directed towards fostering youths' interest in career orientation, including online support, to align their skills and interests with the demands of the labor market. Leveraging the digital and green economy is seen as a strategy to create new job opportunities for young people. Furthermore, UNICEF emphasizes the importance of forging stronger public-private partnerships, implementing active labor market policies, and enhancing young people's access to experiential learning opportunities such as volunteering, entrepreneurship initiatives, internships, mentorship, and job-shadowing to enhance their competence and employability.
UNICEF's mission in Serbia focuses on implementing work-relevant skill-building programmes tailored to the sensitive developmental stage of adolescence, aiming to complement foundational skills acquired in early childhood. Additionally, efforts are directed towards fostering youths' interest in career orientation, including online support, to align their skills and interests with the demands of the labor market. Leveraging the digital and green economy is seen as a strategy to create new job opportunities for young people. Furthermore, UNICEF emphasizes the importance of forging stronger public-private partnerships, implementing active labor market policies, and enhancing young people's access to experiential learning opportunities such as volunteering, entrepreneurship initiatives, internships, mentorship, and job-shadowing to enhance their competence and employability.
UNICEF Serbia collaborates with government agencies, non-profit organizations, and local communities to advocate for equal access to education and training, fostering innovation, and supporting personalized learning pathways. We also contribute to the design, implementation and scale-up of various learning programmes, such as UPSHIFT, to empower young people and help them develop and apply their skills in their communities.
In 2023, youth initiatives reached over 7,575 young people, emphasizing the digitalization of education and career guidance. Collaborating closely with Serbia's Agency for Qualification, we developed a cutting-edge digital career tool piloted in 78 schools, benefitting 2,720 young people. This tool is expected to become a nationwide resource, aiding Serbian youth in informed decision-making regarding their educational and career journeys.
Furthermore, UPSHIFT, UNICEF’s unique methodology used for empowering youth and building their skills, was implemented in partnership with Junior Achievement Serbia, 6 regional and 1 international UPSHIFT cycles took place, engaging 246 adolescents directly and 3,620 indirectly. Our focus on refugee and migrant youth, including those from Ukraine, underscores our commitment to inclusivity.
In line with Serbia's National Youth Strategy, Innovation Clubs have been established in two cities, nurturing skill-building programs through non-formal education. By enhancing staff capacity and fostering a collaborative learning network, UNICEF Serbia brought together 629 young people. Furthermore, in collaboration with Serbian ministries, UNICEF is preparing non – formal education programmes fostering ICT skills for girls, breaking down barriers and promoting diversity within the ICT industry.
