LAGOS, (CAJ News) - NIGERIA is poised to benefit from a new scheme a multinational technology company has introduced to create 100 000 job opportunities across the Middle East and Africa by the end of the year.
Microsoft aims to reach over 7 million people in the regions during the period.
The United States-headquartered company is aiming to create over through its Employability Platforms, in partnership with organisations from public and private sectors, as well as non-governmental organisations.
Microsoft’s solution has landed in markets including Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Iraq, Qatar, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, Algeria, Ghana, Palestine and Turkey and will expand to a number of countries across MEA including Tanzania, Pakistan, Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Mauritius.
“Unemployment in Africa and the Middle East is not a new issue, but its scope is growing with the youth bulge and economic downturn worldwide and we need to find new solutions to address this problem,” said Ali Faramawy, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Middle EastAfrica (MEA).
Microsoft’s solution is not only to provide access to job opportunities to interested youth, but to define pathways through which to equip them with the necessary skills, including soft skills, to land and hold onto these jobs.
“Job seekers need to be equipped with skills like how to write up a CV, have a successful interview and how to dress in the workplace, which is why we have included videos, articles and courses of this nature on the platform along with the more competency based courses,” commented Faramawy.
He said part of the unemployment problem was caused by a lack of economic opportunity, as well as the fact that graduates from secondary and tertiary institutions lack the skills required by employers.
“But there is no shortage of determination and even in a country like Iraq that has been faced with some dire situations, our platform has helped put 30 000 youths into jobs in the past 14 months.”
– CAJ News
