Online job placement platform Jobberman and Mastercard Foundation on Monday announced a partnership meant to help tackle unemployment in Nigeria, by training 5 million job seekers and placing 3 million in dignified employment over the next five years.
Jobberman plans to provide Nigerian job seekers with the skills – especially soft skills – they will need to enhance their chances of securing work in an overcrowded job market. With over a decade in the recruitment business, Jobberman has identified soft skills as a viable asset to an employee and job seeker, especially for young people transitioning into the workplace.
The training will be delivered online and offline for people with limited access to the internet, involving community leaders and other key decision-makers. Trained candidates will be placed via Jobberman’s employer partnerships to help them secure dignified work.
Combined unemployment and underemployment rates in Nigeria stands at 43.3 percent, according to the most recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics. Over 60 percent of young women are unemployed and more than one in four (25.9 percent) of women in the labor force are underemployed. The figures will almost certainly be exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19.
“Nigeria is full of talented and hardworking young people but the current structure of the jobs market means many are unable to make the most of their skills and talents,” Jobberman Nigeria CEO Hilda Kragha said. “This is why it is important to join forces with key stakeholders to equip young people with the skills they need and to link them effectively to dignified work opportunities.”
The partnership keys into Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works, a soft-skills training program that aims to enable 10 million young Nigerians, especially young women, to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. Since its launch, 16,000 youngsters have successfully been placed in dignified work between April and June, a 78 percent increase from the 9,000 placed during the same period in 2019, according to the company.
“Skills training is essential as advancements in technology and the changing nature of work means employers are increasingly looking for workers who have the technical and soft skills that machines are unlikely to fill, such as creativity and collaboration,” said Chidinma Lawanson, Mastercard Foundation Country Head for Nigeria. This year’s Young Africa Works will be implemented in Lagos, Kano, and Kaduna.
