On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day 2026, the Chefs’ Association of Pakistan (CAP) and College of Tourism & Hotel Management (COTHM) Pakistan organized two student activities designed to strengthen the practical, professional, and interpersonal skills of young people and prepare them for their future careers.
The first activity focused on Tourism Management students, who prepared and delivered presentations on domestic and international airports in Pakistan. Students researched airport facilities, tourism connectivity, passenger services, and the role of airports in supporting Pakistan’s tourism industry.
Rather than simply gathering information, students were challenged to transform their research into structured and engaging presentations. The activity helped strengthen their research, information management, analytical thinking, communication, and presentation skills, while giving them practical experience in public speaking and greater confidence in expressing their ideas.
The second activity was a Presentation Competition for students from Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, and Hotel Management, centered on the theme “The Importance of Skill Development for Youth Employment.”
The competition encouraged students to reflect on the importance of technical knowledge, practical abilities, communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, and other professional competencies in securing and succeeding in employment.
Students were also encouraged to support their speeches with PowerPoint presentations, developing visual communication skills alongside public speaking. Preparing their presentations required them to select relevant information, structure their arguments, design supporting visuals, and communicate their message within a professional format.
Presenting before peers and evaluators gave students practical experience in communicating under pressure, maintaining professional body language, engaging an audience, and presenting ideas with clarity and confidence. These skills extend beyond academic assignments into interviews, meetings, presentations, customer interactions, leadership roles, and other workplace environments.
Importantly, the initiative encouraged students to view skills development as a continuous process rather than something limited to academic qualifications. By focusing on youth employment, students explored how employability depends not only on what they know, but also on how effectively they can communicate, collaborate, solve problems, demonstrate confidence, and apply their knowledge in practical situations.
These activities reflect the commitment of the Chefs’ Association of Pakistan (CAP) and COTHM Pakistan to youth development and industry-focused education. By combining education with practical experience, the initiative gave students opportunities to participate, communicate, compete, and build skills relevant to their future careers.
Through World Youth Skills Day 2026, CAP and COTHM Pakistan highlighted the importance of preparing young people not only with academic knowledge, but also with the communication, presentation, critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, and professional skills needed to enter the workplace with confidence.
