Star’s initiative to reassure jittery youths in pandemic world

The Daily Star is set to host the Youth Skills Summit today on the World Youth Skills Day, to explore ways to harness Bangladesh's enviable dividend demographic.

More than 60 speakers comprising industry leaders, entrepreneurs and young aspirants representing different fields will partake in the virtual event.

This year, the day -- which was designated by the United Nations in 2014 with the view to creating a dialogue on the importance of technical, vocational education and training for the youth in securing gainful employment and living up to their potential -- has added importance.

The global coronavirus pandemic has led to closures of educational and training institutions and job cuts, leaving the youth in a state of soul-destroying suspense about their careers and future. And for this year's university graduates, it is a particularly stressful time.

The summit, therefore, intends to enlighten the youth about the job market during this difficult time and to guide them about the skills needed to remain employable in the post-pandemic world.

The daylong event, which starts at 10 am, will feature 14 panel discussions, where experts will talk about different industries, starting from tech and business to arts and culture.  The experts will guide the young attendees about the career prospects for different skillsets.

The event will be live on The Daily Star's Facebook page (http://facebook.com/dailystarnews) from 9 am onwards.

The event is in association with SBK Tech Ventures, Shah Cement and Mountain Dew. Star Youth, 10 Minute School and Youth Opportunities are the youth engagement partners of the summit.