Im Jahr 2014 erklärte die Generalversammlung der Vereinten Nationen den 15. Juli zum World Youth Skills Day. Mit diesem Tag soll ein größeres Bewusstsein und eine stärkere Diskussion über die Bedeutung der beruflichen Aus- und Weiterbildung geschaffen werden. Der World Youth Skills Day bietet demnach eine einzigartige Gelegenheit zum Dialog zwischen jungen Menschen, Einrichtungen zur beruflichen Bildung, Unternehmen, Arbeitgeber- und Arbeitnehmerorganisationen, politischen Entscheidungsträger*innen und Entwicklungspartner*innen - auch weltweit. Wir nehmen den 15. Juli als Anlass zum feiern und, um jungen Menschen unserer Kooperationspartner eine Stimme zu geben. Sechs engagierte Kenianer*innen und Ghanaer*innen äußerten sich dafür zu der Frage: "Was bedeutet berufliche Bildung für junge Menschen in Afrika und für dich persönlich?".

Ibrahim Adam, 22 Jahre, Ghana, Elektriker: „Berufliche Bildung hilft jungen Menschen und mir, spezifische Fähigkeiten zu erwerben, die notwendig sind, um auf die Anforderungen der Industrie zu reagieren. Außerdem helfen sie die besonderen Herausforderungen zu bewältigen, mit denen die Industrie, Organisationen sowie die Gemeinschaft und die Nation insgesamt konfrontiert sind. Eine Ausbildung bietet mir persönlich Beschäftigungs- und unternehmerische Möglichkeiten, um meine Gemeinschaft und unser Land voranzubringen.“

In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 15 as World Youth Skills Day. The purpose of this day is to create greater awareness and discussion about the importance of vocational education and training. World Youth Skills Day provides a unique opportunity for dialogue between young people, vocational education and training institutions, businesses, employers' and employees' organizations, policy makers and development partners - also worldwide. We are using July 15 as an opportunity to give young people from our cooperation partners a voice. Six committed Kenyans and Ghanaians gave their views on the question: "What does vocational training mean for young people in Africa and for you personally?

Ibrahim Adam, 22 years, Ghana, Electrical Installation: "Vocational Education helps young people and me personally to gain specific skills necessary to respond to industry demands and overcome the unique challenges faced by industry or organization and community and nation at large.
And also vocational education aligns workforce skills with young people and me personally to operational requirement, and as well provide young people and me personally with employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in order to advance my community and nation at large."

Jonathan Gabriel Larmie, 22 years, Ghana, Chef: "Vocational education in Africa mean so much of a great value to young people because it helps them acquire work experience and find great jobs or become great entrepreneurs to aid improvement of their prospects and be of great value to the country.
As for me vocational education means so much dear to my heart. Why do I say this, with me learning in a cooking section has brought out my cooking skills which have made me a great icon in my family, community, county and the world? And as also made me an entrepreneur to create job opportunities in my country rather than searching for a job to do."

Deladem Oko, 24 years, Ghana, Fashion Designer: "Vocational education mainly talks about education given to an individual to prepare that person to acquire enough skills to be able to gain employment or to be self-employed. Vocational education is one of the most important aspect in the life of young people in Africa, where the skill acquired by these young people will increase the productive potential of the African continent, reduce the level of unemployment by providing self-employment scheme and also to raise the economic standard of people in Africa. Personally, Vocational education is the best to helps in the better performance of jobs as people acquire great learning experience, helps develop the economy by bridging the demand and supply gap with highly skilled people and also meet the world where skill is the headway to development. Vocational education is a skill developer."

Mante Kwarteng Amos, 26 years, Ghana, Utilities Technician: "Technical education is the amplifier of knowledge; that makes you not just a hearer of information but a doer."

Dancan Nyaberi Nyaega, 26 years, Kenya, ICT professional: "Vocational Education and Technical Training for young people in Africa is a pathway that provides adequate and appropriate skilled Artisans, Craftsmen, Technicians and Technologists at all levels of the economy through practical training and work experience. Personally, Vocational Education has been so valuable to me because after I completed my degree in Computer Science and Statistics, I had to do a certificate in Data Analytics and Project Management so as to get a job. I believe that continuous upgrading of skills and knowledge at the pace and ability of the trainees. This is where vocational skills come in because they prepare the youth for the labour market. Governments, especially in the third world should impart the youth with marketable skills, technical know-how and attitudes that respond to contemporary labour market demands in the industry, informal sector and for self-employment."

Christopher Appiah, 22 years, Ghana, Welder: "Firstly, I will say vocational education is an education that prepares people to work as a technician or to take up employment in a skilled craft or a trade as a trade person. However we get a professional technician on like Welder's, Contractor's, Carpenter's, Mechanic's, Farmer's etc.they are all from the vocational education or they has pass through that. Many African countries has not develop because of the lake of vocational education and some has been develop because of vocational education training. And the reason is that in vocational education prepared or trained people to work in a trade as a technician or in professional vocations such as engineering, nursing, medicine, architecture etc. Vocational education create jobs for the young people in the communities or in the societies. Because after vocational education training, you can setup your own job or business without looking for an employment. It also reduce the rate of unemployment in the society. It promote an individual to improve their talent. It will prevent the country from exporting goods or materials from another country, because after the vocational education training some individual will have the ability to process some of the materials in country. And I will like to say that every human being or ever person on this earth have to pass through the vocational education training to have one or two professional hand work. And also I say that without vocational education training we can't survive or live, because the food we eat,the dress wear, the house we built to lie in,car that we take etc they are all from the technician."

Ibrahim, Jonathan, Deladem, Mante, Dancan and Christopher stand for a strong African youth. The statements show the high level of motivation with which young people in Ghana and Kenya strive for and carry out vocational training and the value they place on it.