On July 05 within the framework of the International Vienna Energy Forum (hereafter the Forum) the panel discussion on the Future-proof Skills of Modern Youth took place. The main objective was to discuss what advanced skills are crucial for preparing young people for work in the energy sector, skills that allow them to smoothly move from studying at the university to working in the energy market. The panel discussion focused on the topic of educational services and professional employment. During the discussion, the following issues were raised:
- What important modern skills for switching to alternative energy sources are not currently included in the curriculum?
- How to format education and educational programmes to meet the challenges of the modern world, as well as the labor market in the energy sector?
- How to attract more young women to build careers in the energy sector?
- What skills are currently in demand by recruiters?
- How to combine the development of youth skills with the need for retraining in countries focused on the energy transition?
- What forms of training can be offered to equip young women and men with advanced skills in the modern world?
The discussion was attended by Ms Sylwia Lyskawka, Youth Climate Council, Poland;
Mr Shuvajit Payne, Barefoot College, India; Ms Juliette Leboda, Pour un Reveil Ecologique Initiative, France; Ms Faith Chege, EEP Africa, the meeting was moderated by Mr David Arinze, Dimond Development Initiative, Nigeria. Panelists noted that today, in an era of rapid change, modern youth should constantly improve interpersonal communication skills, respond to upcoming changes in a timely manner, have critical thinking and make decisions quickly, have a flexible mind, and strive for the lifelong learning to meet the modern challenges.
From Russian side, Ms Alesia Iunikova, Director of the Center for International Cooperation of Rosatom Technical Academy – Chairman of the Committee on International Activities of the Women in Nuclear Foundation in Russia, took part in the discussion. In her address to youth,
Ms Alesia Iunikova noted that today we have the largest generation of young people on the planet – 1.8 billion, they all are mainly in developing countries, who need a stable supply of electricity to achieve sustainable development goals. In 2018, the United Nations launched a youth strategy in support of Agenda 2030. Thus, it is the younger generation that is the main driving force for achieving the SDGs. The International Vienna Energy Forum is an effective platform to draw the attention of young people to clean energy production and efficient energy consumption.
For reference:
The International Vienna Energy Forum (hereafter the Forum) is a biennial, multi-stakeholder global forum aimed at exploring sustainable energy development issues. The Forum provides a platform for policymakers and decision makers from different sectors of society to develop practical solutions to sustainable development issues.
Since its establishment in 2008, as the joint initiative of the Government of Austria, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Forum has brought together policymakers and professionals from around the world to discuss practical solutions to sustainable development issues and to develop solutions to cooperation and partnership.
The Forum of 2021 is the first Youth forum organized in partnership with Youth group of SDG7 Youth Constituency. The objectives and format of the event were defined in an open dialogue with young researchers, professionals, entrepreneurs, activists in the sustainable energy sector.