Bridge the digital divide for youth in Asia-Pacific through skills development for employment
Context of Youth
Youth across the Asia-Pacific region face significant barriers in accessing the digital skills, education, and training necessary to thrive in today’s evolving workforce. Key challenges include:
Unemployment
25% of youth in Asia-Pacific are NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), with young women disproportionately affected.
Future of Work
The digital and green transitions are reshaping job markets across the region.
Digital Skills Gap​
54% of youth in South Asia lack essential digital skills, while 61% of ASEAN students don't receive digital literacy education in schools.
Digital Divide​
​The pandemic has deepened the gap, leaving marginalized communities with limited access to digital education and resources.
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About Skill Our Future
Skill Our Future (SOF) is an initiative under UNDP’s Youth Empowerment Portfolio in Asia and the Pacific (YEP-AP), aimed at bridging digital inequality and empowering young people, particularly from underserved communities. ​
SOF equips youth with essential 21st-century, digital, green and employability skills, preparing them for the evolving job market and future workforce shaped by the Twin Transition. ​
​Through SOF, young people gain access to opportunities their enhance their employability and entrepreneurial potential, fostering their growth as leaders and active global citizens.
The initiative emphasizes inclusivity and sustainability, contributing to the development of resilient communities and economies. By partnering with governments, academic institutions, youth networks, and other ecosystem partners, SOF integrates holistic skills development into both formal and informal education with the objective to reach mass youth groups and scale impact, especially underserved communities.
Holistic Skills Development
A Network of Networks
Stakeholders of Skill Our Future (SOF) include:
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Youth & Youth-Led CSOs
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Facilitators, leaders, and entrepreneurs who receive ToT and capacity-building to empower their communities.
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Ecosystem Partners
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Private Sector and Academia: Collaborate to create content, provide mentorship, and engage youth across diverse groups
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Government Sectors: Collaborate to mainstream and embed skills curricula within the educational systems and support inclusive employment initiatives
Our Partner
Our Testimonials
Ikhwan Fahruddin Ahwal
Universitas Riau
Indonesia
Through Skill Our Future Job Readiness Platform, I have been accepted at various companies, with a 95% success rate for my applications. I found it very helpful to create my CV using the Skill Our Future Job Readiness Platform, it’s simply the best! I managed to get through to several large companies, and its features are easy to use.
Quang Pham
Vietnam
The Essential Facilitation Skills: Mastering the Fundamentals course is: woohoo! Let me tell you, this brand-new course form is a total game-changer. The instructor gave me the best tip EVER.
Krisna Angga Dewi
Universitas Udayana
Indonesia
Thank you for the opportunity given to join the EmpowerU Incubation program. Although it was short, I learned many valuable things, from personal branding to professional work ethics. The knowledge I gained during this program made me more confident in preparing myself to enter the professional world.
Tran Thu Phuong
VNU University of Education
Vietnam
Thanks to Skill Our Future's AI courses, I acquired the AI skills and used AI as a tool to enhance my research and presentation. This course helps me get more job opportunities in public sector, equipping me the readiness to several jobs. I got offer in my teaching career and enhance my digital skills considerably. It's the best platform leading incredible opportunities I have!