Space for things you can't google
Young people can drive change – if we give them the freedom to do so. World Youth Skills Day highlights that learning today requires attitude more than ever before – and demonstrates how companies can support this approach.
In my everyday life – both professionally and personally – I see it time and again: Young people bring fresh ideas, new perspectives, and a healthy dose of curiosity. They ask questions, think outside the box, and want to shape the future. That's inspiring. And it shows how important it is to have a culture of learning that promotes this mindset. World Youth Skills Day on July 15 is a good time to reflect on what learning means today and how we can empower young people in this regard.
Our world is becoming increasingly complex and fragile. Climate change, digitalization, attacks on democracy – all of these issues demand new solutions. Expanding our existing knowledge is no longer enough. And it is certainly not enough to fall back on simple answers. We must also learn to constantly reorient our thinking. In doing so, we must learn to deal with ambiguities and contradictions – the keyword here is tolerance for ambiguity.
Between Speed and Orientation
Young people, in particular, seem to navigate digital spaces with ease. They are quick, connected, and creative. However, they are under a lot of pressure because the world they live in is constantly changing. It's not easy to find your bearings. This makes it all the more important to provide them not only with tools, but also with spaces where they can develop their strengths. They need spaces for self-reflection, for an inner compass – for the things that cannot be googled.
When Learning shapes Attitudes
Transformative Learning creates precisely such spaces. It does not demand quick answers, but rather asks the right questions: Why do we do it this way? What if it didn't exist yet – how would we design it? This kind of learning is uncomfortable but valuable. It fosters not only knowledge, but also attitude.
And that is exactly what we need to remain fit for the future. This is true for social progress as well as for technological innovations, such as those taking place in my sector, the chemical and plastics industry. And this change does not begin with technology, but with a shift in thinking.
The example of Tim Wirtz, 26, who works in Covestro's HR team, shows how effective this can be. Inspired by discussions with his team leader, he developed an automated solution for matching in the internal mentoring program – a process that previously required time-consuming manual work to find the best fits between mentors and mentees. With the help of AI and his own initiative, he created a new system that now saves around 95 percent of the previous working time. This change was based not only on technical know-how, but on one thing above all else: Tim Wirtz was given enough space for dialogue, creativity, and reflection.
Covestro also creates this space outside the company. For example, with the Germany-wide research competition “Zukunft braucht Wahrheit” in which our company called on students to develop ideas on socio-political challenges. Or through our support of the European Youth Parliament, where we promote democratic discourse and solution-oriented cooperation.
Trust instead of Rules
When I think of World Youth Skills Day, I don't see it as a day of action. Rather as an invitation to rethink learning – not as a duty, but as a shared opportunity. Sometimes, we need fewer rules and more trust. Less planning, more listening. And the courage not just to guide young people, but also to let them surprise us. That is often where the impetus for change lies.