A. M. 
Access to education remains one of the most crucial factors for economic opportunities. According to the 2024 Population and Housing Census, only 9% of the population has attained a university degree.
This educational gap reduces employment opportunities and directly impacts young people’s ability to secure formal, stable, and better-paying jobs.
On International Education Day, commemorated every January 24, it is important to emphasize the importance of strengthening a comprehensive education that promotes learning aligned with the skills and abilities young people need to build their life projects.
Relevant training: a path to boosting employability
Collaboration between the private sector, civil society organizations, and government institutions plays a key role in improving education, technical training, and job placement mechanisms. This coordination ensures that training programs respond to real market needs and provide young people with the tools to face current challenges.
In this context, young people from diverse communities continue to advance and strengthen their technical, digital, and employability skills through initiatives that also foster dialogue and collaboration with businesses and institutional stakeholders.
One such effort is Plan International El Salvador’s “Generation with Opportunities” program, which supports young people through vocational guidance, technical training, life skills development, job placement, and entrepreneurship. In 2025, more than 11,000 young people participated in activities that helped them find their first job, develop their business ideas, or continue their studies through educational support scholarships.
Toward a comprehensive education for the future
These advances help more young people, especially those in vulnerable situations, to strengthen their autonomy and reduce the risk of dropping out of school. Furthermore, as part of these processes, the program promotes the use of technology and the development of soft skills such as communication, critical thinking, and teamwork, which complement technical training.
These skills not only expand job opportunities but also allow education to evolve toward a more comprehensive model, capable of supporting young people in building a future with more options and better opportunities.
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