Why this award?

It is time to highlight the opportunities and positive impact of TVET for people, their families and their local communities.

Often viewed as a second-class education, technical and vocational education and training has been subject to image debates for decades. Across the globe, TVET development has suffered from poor investment, quality and relevance. However, in a world where countries are facing high levels of youth unemployment, rapidly changing labour markets, technological advancements, and persistent social inequalities, the important role of TVET is increasingly being recognized. The orientation of TVET towards the world of work and the acquisition of employability skills means it is well placed to address global issues and it also has an important role in promoting sustainable development.

Whether acquired at school or in the workplace, every day people across the globe use their skills to make the world a better place. Unfortunately, there is a lack of practical and insightful evidence on how people worldwide are benefitting from technical and vocational education and training. The stories remain largely untold, which hinders awareness raising and further investments in TVET.

The goals of the award are to:

• Celebrate technical and vocational skills as a means to improve one's livelihood
• Reward young people's efforts to promote sustainable development in their communities
• Raise awareness on the benefits of TVET
• Promote TVET as a means to tackle global challenges such as poverty, youth unemployment and environmental degradation.
• Provide young people the opportunity to demonstrate their skills to the rest of the world.