Celebrating World Youth Skills Day with Purpose and Impact
The Youth Skills for Global Impact Webinar 2025, titled “Pathways with Purpose: Building Skills for Meaningful, Impactful Careers”, marked World Youth Skills Day by equipping young people with the tools to create positive change. The event focused on youth empowerment, digital literacy, and leadership for sustainable development, especially within the Global South.
Keynote speaker Anketse Birhanu emphasized the importance of purpose-driven skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and digital fluency. Citing the success of SOS Children’s Villages, Anketse shared how their initiatives have supported over 550,000 youth through training, entrepreneurship, and job linkage programs, achieving an 84% self-reliance rate among participants.
The session concluded with urgent calls to:
- Reform educational systems
- Invest in youth-led innovations
- Narrow the digital divide
- Establish international mentorship programs
These actions aim to build an inclusive, green, and just future for all
Purpose-Driven Careers and Community Development
The webinar featured a presentation by Obie, who explored the rise of sustainability-focused careers and how aligning passion with purpose can drive meaningful impact. A live poll engaged participants, revealing strong interest in careers centered around youth empowerment, education, and community inclusion.
An upcoming panel discussion was also announced, featuring five changemakers ready to share their initiatives and insights on youth development.
Meet the Changemakers: Speaker Highlights
The webinar introduced several inspiring speakers:
- Dwaine Taylor – Expert in learning design and community impact, supporting people who uplift others.
- Busayo – Political commentator and advocate, emphasizing that “the personal is political.”
- Zainab Williams – Certified financial planner advancing financial wellness for women and newcomers.
- Latifah Busari – Sustainability advocate recycling synthetic hair to educate and build self-esteem.
- Dave Murray – Former energy sector professional turned digital product manager at ICTC, focused on future-ready skills.
Each speaker shared personal career journeys rooted in purpose, resilience, and social impact.
Building a Future-Ready Workforce
Dave Murray spoke about his organization’s efforts to bridge labor market gaps through digital literacy, experiential learning, and policy research. Programs discussed included:
- Women’s entrepreneurship support
- Post-secondary career pathways
- K–12 digital education access
The panel, moderated by Obie, focused on how to empower youth for impact-driven careers in a changing world.
Passion, Purpose, and Personal Growth
Dwaine stressed that identifying passions and aligning them with skills is key to finding purpose in one’s career, without sacrificing well-being. Busayo discussed how Gen Z can use social media for civic action, encouraging intentional use to foster real-world change despite information overload.
Literacy, Identity, and Cultural Empowerment
In a powerful interview, Zainab explained how financial literacy gives individuals control and freedom, promoting long-term stability over get-rich-quick approaches. Latifa shared how her spoken word poetry helped process climate anxiety, reclaim cultural knowledge, and promote indigenous sustainability practices rooted in her Osun and Yoruba heritage.
Tech for Good: Innovation and Youth Leadership
The final discussion explored how technology, AI, and innovation can support inclusive growth. Dave emphasized the need for intentional tech use while maintaining real-world connections. Panelists encouraged youth to develop entrepreneurial skills like adaptability, conviction, and community-centered thinking.
Sustainability remained a core theme, with speakers urging young entrepreneurs to build businesses that prioritize social and environmental impact.
Looking Ahead
The Youth Skills for Global Impact Webinar 2025 concluded with excitement for a special World Humanitarian Day webinar, continuing the conversation on empowering youth to build a better world.
