“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X
Have you ever looked around your campus or school and wondered, why are we all just… studying? Why don’t we have hobbies anymore? Why does everything feel like a race we didn’t choose to run? And most importantly, are we even learning what we need for the future? It’s a question that hits hard, especially today, July 15, 2025, the 10th anniversary of World Youth Skills Day, a day recognized by the United Nations to remind the world of something we often forget skills, not just grades, build futures.
In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 15 as World Youth Skills Day (WYSD), recognizing that youth needed more than degrees to face the real world. They needed practical, creative, technical, and entrepreneurial skills to unlock employment opportunities and create meaningful change. Since then, WYSD has become a global platform to spotlight how we educate and empower youth, and what still needs fixing.
This year’s theme is both exciting and urgent: “Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills.” As AI and automation reshape industries, redefine jobs, and even rewrite the way we think, the world is talking about upskilling, reskilling, and digital literacy. But here’s the catch: are our youth even aware of this shift? Are we giving them the right tools, or just throwing outdated syllabi at them?
Let’s bring this home. In Sri Lanka, most youth are caught in a loop. School. Tuition. University. Exams. Repeat. While academic education remains absolutely important, grades do matter, what’s equally essential is building real-world skills that can help young people adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving world. The problem is that many students are bearing unnecessary pressure and anxiety, not just because education is challenging, but because much of it doesn’t feel relevant to the demands of the modern world. Many of us have never been encouraged to explore digital tools. We don’t know how to build a basic portfolio, pitch an idea, or freelance a skill. Most students are told to focus only on their studies, as if life only begins after graduation. This isn’t about one being better than the other. It’s about recognizing that both academic knowledge and practical, digital, and life skills are equally vital.
World Youth Skills Day is deeply connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 4 on quality education, SDG 8 on decent work, and SDG 9 on innovation and infrastructure. But achieving these goals means redefining what “education” really means. It’s not about memorizing facts, it’s about being ready to create, adapt, lead, and question. That’s where Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) becomes powerful. TVET isn’t a fallback; it’s a smart and strategic way to equip youth with skills that prepare them not just for jobs, but for the future. From coding to hospitality, digital design to agriculture, entrepreneurship to ethical tech use, TVET is about giving youth real, employable, adaptable skills. It opens doors for school leavers, youth who aren’t in education or employment, and even undergraduates who feel their degree alone may not be enough.
What if we started celebrating students not just for their GPA, but also for their creative projects, initiatives, and skills? What if we said, “You can explore. You can start now”? Because the truth is, youth around the world are already leading change. From a young farmer in Gambia growing strawberries thanks to agricultural training, to a girl in the Asia-Pacific region learning how AI can drive the green transition, skills give power. And it’s not just about coding. It’s about communication, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, ethical tech use, and knowing how to use digital tools for a purpose.
So maybe it’s time we change the questions. Not just “What did you get for your finals?”. But also, “What are you creating?”, “What are you curious about?”, “What kind of world do you dream of building?” Because in the end, it’s not your grades alone that will shape the future. It’s your ideas, your voice, your courage to try, and your willingness to grow. The world doesn’t just need high scores. It needs you; skilled, self-aware, and unafraid to lead.
Let’s stop waiting for permission. Let’s start preparing for the possibility.
The future is calling. Will you answer?
Written By: Don Eveesha Kaluarchchi
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