Recovery, Transition, and Transformation, these three pillars serve as the guiding vision of UNESCO’s new Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for the period 2022–2029.

The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted both education systems and labor markets, intensifying youth unemployment and the mismatch between skills and job demands. At the same time, it accelerated the pace of the digital revolution. In this context, a fundamental transformation of education systems is urgently needed to respond to a rapidly changing and uncertain future.

In September 2022, the United Nations Secretary-General convened the Transforming Education Summit, where governments around the world pledged to establish more inclusive, resilient, and relevant lifelong learning systems to meet evolving skill demands and facilitate the transition toward green and digital economies.

Driving education transformation requires flexible pathways for skills training, upskilling, and reskilling, and the promotion of lifelong learning. It also demands the identification and anticipation of the skills needed for digital and green economic transitions. Moreover, this transformation depends on strengthening social dialogue and ensuring the engagement of employers and civil society, especially young people.

TVET is deeply interconnected with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), and encompasses multiple dimensions. This strategy repositions TVET as a pathway for individuals to learn, work, and live; as a catalyst for green and digital transformation and sustainable economic development; and as a vehicle for social cohesion and equity. The strategy also acknowledges the impact of climate change, the importance of the informal economy, demographic transitions, and the widespread application of artificial intelligence.

The strategy outlines a transformative agenda to support countries in equipping youth and adults with the skills they need and in providing lifelong learning opportunities for all. It commits to strengthening the relevance of national TVET systems through collaboration with the UNEVOC Network and the Inter-Agency Group on TVET (IAG-TVET), under the lens of lifelong learning.

The strategy also encompasses flagship initiatives such as the Global Skills Academy under the Global Education Coalition. This Academy engages the private sector and international organizations, including the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to deliver digital skills to tens of millions of young people worldwide.

The strategy includes concrete actions such as training TVET teachers and trainers, developing skills monitoring tools to track demand and supply, and updating as well as ensuring cross-border recognition of vocational qualifications.

Today, more than ever, collective efforts are needed to ensure that young people and adults acquire the new skills demanded by emerging jobs, enabling them to unlock their full potential and navigate the profound social, economic, and environmental transformations underway globally. This is also part of a renewed social contract for education—reimagining a more sustainable future for all.