Image provided by Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka
July 15 marks the 10th anniversary of World Youth Skills Day. The United Nations-originated holiday celebrates the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
As Yum! Brands and its franchisees employ over 1 million people (many of them, youth), the world’s largest restaurant company also recognizes how critical it is to invest in their skills and potential. Through partnerships with local organizations around the globe, Yum! employees are helping young people unlock new opportunities and thrive.
One such partnership is with Pizza Hut franchisee Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka, which, with funding from Yum!’s Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, launched Pizza Hut’s An Equal Slice for Everyone (AESFE). The ten-month blended learning program helps Sri Lankan youth and people with disabilities gain valuable skills and find meaningful employment. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education + Department of Social Services and the nonprofit Sevalanka Foundation, instructors teach participants everything from food prep and customer service to soft skills, hygiene and financial literacy. So far, the program has developed 22 vocational training kitchens across the country, training nearly 1,500 students annually.
Because of lack of proper education and opportunity, many of our youth, ages 15 to 24, lack the required training and experience to land and hold a job,” said Yasa Nadaraja, CEO & MD of Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka Pvt Ltd, “Our youth unemployment rate is high — at 19.8% — so this program stands to make a lasting impact by providing youth the opportunity to upskill and pursue a lasting career in the quick service restaurant industry.”
Upon completion, AESFE graduates earn a National Vocational Qualification certification, opening doors to jobs at global quick-service restaurants — including Yum! brands, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.
In recognition of World Youth Skills Day, the program is continuing its work with its fellow Sri Lankans, proving that every day is a good one to prepare young people for a bright future.
