CARIO – The United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) in Egypt said it supports – within the framework of efforts aimed at empowering and employing youth in Egypt – two new initiatives, the “Opportunities Forum” and the “Employment and Education Forums,” in co-operation with the Egyptian Ministry of Manpower.
The projects are scheduled to open doors to job opportunities for Egyptian youth and connect them with employers in their fields of specialisation.
The WFP said – in a statement Wednesday – that the “Opportunity Forums” are an essential part of the government’s “Your Career, Your Future” initiative for 2024, which helps young talents prepare for the labor market and helps reduce unemployment.
The forums were designed as a series of interactive awareness sessions, as representatives from various government and development agencies will educate young participants about job opportunities in their governorates, especially in green jobs, including agriculture, recycling, and renewable energy, the statement said.
Young people will also learn about the financial and non-financial services provided by the government and other parties, including government loans, to encourage graduates to explore the field of entrepreneurship and start their own businesses, it added.
The WFP indicated that these forums aim to reach about 3,000 young people, 60% of them are female and 5% have special needs, in eight governorates including: Minya, Beni Suef, Fayoum, Sohag, Qena, Assiut, Aswan and Luxor. Most of the participants have already completed vocational training supported by the World Food Program, which prepares them for the labor market, according to the statement.
The program supports these forums, which are an extension of the vocational training program, to help its graduates obtain a job opportunity after completing their training, it said.
Opportunity Forums, which will continue until the end of October, focus on the neediest villages in Upper Egypt, as part of the “Decent Life” initiative, it added.
The statement explained that the WFP in Egypt also supports a series of employment and education forums.
They forums are designed as career fairs and aim to connect young WFP training graduates with employers, it said.
This initiative aims to help about 1,000 young people secure stable jobs, which will drive economic growth in the same eight governorates targeted in the Opportunity Forums, as each employer in these exhibitions is committed to offering and offering a specific number of jobs in their companies in the field of the green economy to participating youth at exhibitions, ensuring strong job opportunities, the statement read.
The WFP ‘s Youth Empowerment Program in Egypt has so far provided about 2,500 young people between the ages of 19 and 34 with skills and vocational training, especially those facing significant social and economic challenges, including people with special needs and families supported by the Takaful and Karama program, s a result, 20% of them were successfully employed, highlighting WFP Egypt’s firm commitment to empowering youth, improving their employment opportunities, and thus enhancing their food security, it said.
The training courses cover a range of areas such as renewable energy, e-marketing, digital device repair, hospitality and handicrafts, added the statement.
Participants also receive training in soft skills and entrepreneurship, along with practical experience through working in the private sector, it said.
