AI and digital literacy essential for TVETs skills development 

As the world prepares to commemorate World Skills Day on July 15, 2025, themed “Youth Empowerment through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Skills”, it is important to reflect on some statistics that reveal the enormity of challenges we face locally, nationally and globally. 

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Global Employment Trends for Youth 2024, over 450 million young people globally, including more than 70 million in Africa, are economically disengaged – unemployed, underemployed, or not actively participating in the labour market.

The report also notes that 86 per cent of students globally do not feel adequately prepared to work in an AI-supported environment.

This clearly highlights a growing disconnect between formal education and the evolving labour market, where AI, digital, and cognitive skills are increasingly essential. 

This is a massive dilemma – particularly for developing economies that are already grappling with deep social and economic inequality.

We need deliberate and concerted efforts to turn the tide toward youth engagement, productivity, and sustainable development.

TVETs, when empowered with AI and digital literacy tools, can play a transformative role in this agenda. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI), which refers to a collection of emerging technologies that leverage machine learning, data processing, and algorithmic systems to perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, is now reshaping many sectors.

Digital literacy, on the other hand, is the ability to effectively use, understand, and create technology – and it forms the foundation for leveraging the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 

In Kenya, the National AI Strategy (2025–2030) recognises the significance of AI and digital literacy in driving transformation across sectors such as education, agriculture, climate action and health. 

With the digital superhighway pillar under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the ICT goals of Vision 2030, TVETs are best positioned to train last-mile actors and agents of change.

This makes the training and empowerment of TVET trainers and trainees with AI and digital literacy critical. 

In my classes, when engaging trainees, I always emphasise the importance of digital literacy and the utilisation of AI tools.

I often challenge them to recognise the power of the gadgets in their hands – phones and computers – as meaningful learning tools.

As part of communication skills, entrepreneurship, and employability training, I encourage them to see the importance of building a presence on various digital platforms.

This is my way of nudging them to prepare for and participate in the global digital economy. 

For instance, how can students use social media not just for entertainment, but to profile their skills and knowledge, enhance learning, and foster collaboration?  

In this era of cross-border exchange, we now have the tools to connect and collaborate with peers from different parts of the world. This matters if we want to develop versatile, innovative work-ready graduates from our TVET institutions. 

The writer is a UN global food systems Youth Leader, a vocational and technical Trainer, and a Communication Consultant