Youth Workforce Development

By engaging the private sector and relevant ministries, host countries can ensure youth gain the skills they need to lead productive lives, gain employment, and positively contribute to society.

With 73 million young people unemployed worldwide in 2015, the lack of economic opportunity is a matter of worldwide concern. USAID's workforce development programs prepare young people for meaningful work opportunities through access to quality vocational, technical and higher education, coaching, internship placement, job matching, skills development and entrepreneurship programs. Providing higher levels of education can raise developing countries’ productivity significantly, and connecting youth to market-driven skills training and economic opportunity helps to mitigate root causes of migration, crime, instability and violent extremism.

Emphasis is also placed on engaging the underserved and the disadvantaged, including women, persons with disabilities, and the most marginalized and vulnerable, to equip them with the skills to support themselves and their families.

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