Skills for work and life

Promoting technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for youth and adults

UNESCO connects education to the fast-evolving world of work through its promotion of skills for work and life. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) helps youth and adults develop the abilities, knowledge, values and attitudes they need to find decent work and contribute to building a peaceful, healthy, just and sustainable world. Worldwide 267 million young people aged 15-24 are still not in any form of employment, education or training. TVET contributes to the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) to 'ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ and those of SDG8 for 'decent work and economic growth'.

What you need to know about skills for work and life

Global Skills Academy

Free and high-quality online trainings offered by members of UNESCO Global Education Coalition

Capacity development for education (CapED)

UNESCO’s capacity-building programme in 26 least developed and crisis-affected countries

Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR)

Lifelong learning

Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all

Key facts

Videos

Key databases

Building better formal TVET systems: principles and practice in low- and middle- income countries

UNESCO

World Bank

International Labour Organization

2023

UNESCO

Recommendation on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (2015). Results of the Second Consultation of Member States on the Implementation of the UNESCO TVET. Recommendation, 2019–2022

UNESCO

2024

Global inventory of regional and national qualifications frameworks, volume II: national and regional case studies

UNESCO

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning

European Training Foundation

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training

2023

UNESCO

Global inventory of national and regional qualications frameworks 2022, volume I: thematic chapters

UNESCO

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning

European Training Foundation

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training

2023

Enhancing TVET through digital transformation in developing countries

UNESCO

2023

Document produced with the financial support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the technical support of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.