The world has been devastated by COVID-19, with the most vulnerable populations most severely impacted. With over 255 million jobs lost globally due to the pandemic, economic inclusion is more important than ever. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Education For Employment is leading that effort and is a model for how reskilling the labor force can equitably occur around the world.
With one of the largest youth populations on the planet, the MENA region has the world’s highest youth unemployment rate. The unemployment crisis has accelerated even more in the face of the pandemic. EFE-Global CEO Andrew Baird will dive into the solutions EFE has pioneered to help over 123,000 youth enter the workforce in the world’s most difficult place to find a job even in the face of crises such as COVID-19. With insights from Ghadeer Khuffash, CEO of EFE-Jordan and Samer Khoury, President Engineering & Construction of CCC, on the future of work for women, refugees, youth with disabilities, people in rural communities, and other disadvantaged youth.
EFE’s data-driven approach focuses on emerging opportunities in the most in-demand sectors such as the potential revival of retail and hospitality, as well as acceleration of emerging jobs in IT and health care, providing trainees with both technical and oft-neglected soft skills necessary to succeed in the modern workforce.
