Yes for Youth: Youth Employability Skills and Pathway

Background

The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected people’s lives and futures due to lengthy closures and limitations, especially for the hospitality sector, including hotels, bars, and restaurants. Long-term and informal employees became underemployed, and new graduates struggled to get employed in the sector. The new normal workplace practices must be adapted, and the workforce in hospitality must be equipped with unique skills, re-skill, and upskill competencies. To become superior and successful, the employees need a solid foundation of functional skills, job readiness skills, 21st century skills, and digital skills in the hospitality se

The Project

Kenan Foundation Asia and Citi Foundation will organize the project to build capacity for soon to be graduating and disadvantage youth (18-24 years old) from low-income households, who are unable to find decent work or have difficulty paying back their student loans. The project will train students to be prepared for job searches and interviews. Students will also have the opportunity to connect with potential employers. Qualified students can also participate in a pitching competition. Project will focus on women as well as outreach to the LGBTQ community and the disabled.

Project Components

This project’s main component is direct services to develop employment readiness skills.

1. Vocational students will undergo trainings on key areas such as job employability (job search, resume writing, job interview prep, etc.), 21st century  skills (team-work, critical thinking, and creative thinking) Business skills and basic financial literacy skills.
2. Students will then go through mentorship program to prepare themselves for the pitching competition and job fair.
3. Qualified students will participate in an elevator pitch competition to showcase their communication skills as a potential job seeker or potential business owner.
4. Students will have to opportunity to participate in a job fair to showcase their skillsets to potential recruiters.

The secondary component will be a systematic change based on policy research and recommendations that will be developed in parallel with main component of the project to help improve the pathways to employment.

Timeline

Open enrollment for the participating schools: January – February 2023
Organize Training: April – June 2023
Mentorship: June – July 2023
Pitching Competition and Job Fair: August 2023

Outcome Expected

The project will prepare and develop young people to better align themselves with requirements of the job market in the post-Covid-19 world. Through a range of capacity building activities, the program will create a sense of professionalism and confident that will potentially help these students more easily secure job placement. Opportunity to secure sources of funding to pay off their debts or start their business venture will also motivate these students to perform beyond their expectations.