SAP and UNICEF make vocational education and training possible for young people

The cooperation was announced as part of an event during the 74th UN General Assembly in New York. The three-year partnership brings together businesses, governments and non-governmental organisations in order to jointly develop sustainable education models.

The focus is on initiatives to help young people integrate in the labour market. The aim is to help them to be successful in their professional area and to also give organisations access to well trained workers.

The partnership will also seek to develop standardised national curricula and programs which will make young people fit for professional life. Part of the partnership also involves in-depth research to improve the links and the connections between the private sector and the talented young people of the future.

Today, more than one in five young people globally are neither in employment nor in education and training. Many more young people do not acquire the skills they need for decent and appropriate work – this is particularly important given that the current economic situation is changing rapidly and requires increasingly specialised skills.

"For many young people, only high quality training will set them on a path to a successful future, will equip them with the skills they need – and empower them – to be successful in the world of work today," explained UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. "Young people are among the world's best creatives, enthusiasts and thinkers. We look forward to working with SAP in order to harness the energy and ideas of young people and to help them make a contribution to business and to society."

By 2030, businesses and communities throughout the world need to be ready to integrate around two billion young job seekers for the long term in the labour market. Over the long term, the partnership will help to reach people in Africa, Asia and Europe. The initial focus will be on India, Turkey and Vietnam.

The partnership is part of Generation Unlimited – the global initiative is working how to engage young people around the world and to make them productive citizens. Generation Unlimited was launched one year ago. It brings together public and private investment in the education and employment of young people. Young people are involved at all times in these efforts.

"Many people are concerned about the opportunities gap opening up in this new economy," explained Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP. "Businesses need to take meaningful measures to train the current and future members of the work force, regardless of their age or where they live in the world. Together with UNICEF, SAP will focus on starting in the classroom where the foundation for every career is laid. We shall develop the collaboration with the public sector and focus on the best possible curricula for empowering the employees of tomorrow. This partnership is another example showing that doing what's right and doing what's right for business are perfectly aligned."