This side-event will examine how coordinated, equitable and innovative partnerships for skills development can accelerate sustainable industrial transformation and support the 2030 Agenda. As countries navigate the green and digital transitions, strengthening collaboration between CoVEs, VET providers, employers and policymakers, alongside coherent national policies and lifelong learning frameworks, is essential to ensure that workers, enterprises and communities are equipped to participate in and benefit from these changes.
Building on the SDG Academy’s series on skills for sustainable development, the event will showcase two EU initiatives: BuildSkills Academy, which helps VET institutions update training for a more sustainable construction sector (SDG 9 & SDG 11); and CATALYST, which develops and pilots modular training pathways and open resources on green and digital skills through its online platform (SDG 9). By highlighting practical approaches to partnership governance, inclusive capacity-building and aligning training with emerging industry demands, the discussion will identify transferable lessons and recommendations to inform the 2026 ECOSOC Partnership Forum’s outcomes.