--Omar Chaabi, YNNA Holding (Chaabi Group) |
According to the World Bank, 30 percent or more of Yemen's youth are unemployed, and nearly 40 percent of the 3.5 million unemployed Yemenis are first-time job seekers. With support from the United States Department of State's Office of The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), www.mepi.state.gov, EFE is tapping into the potential of Yemeni youth.
EFE has partnered with Yemeni business and civil society leaders to create the Yemen Education For Employment Foundation (YEFE), providing motivated yet unemployed Yemeni youth with needed training and bright job opportunities. As a bridge between academia and the private sector, YEFE helps students acquire practical skills to meet employer needs. YEFE has secured substantial investment from the local business community to match funds from EFE and MEPI. The organization obtained official registration in June 2008 and established an office in Sana'a that includes a training facility.
WORKPLACE SUCCESS TRAINING AND JOB-PLACEMENT PROGRAMEFE's Workplace Success program equips college-educated youth with the professional and communication skills they need to obtain and keep a first job. Students are guided in the work ethic as well as given detailed lessons on daily challenges, such as how to prepare a presentation. Published by McGraw-Hill and developed by U.S. career education experts in partnership with Yemeni business leaders, YEFE's three pilot courses launched in July 2008.
To date, six Workplace Success classes have been completed, with a total of nearly 130 graduates. Fully 100 percent have been placed in internships, and almost 40 percent have been placed in jobs. Efforts continue to place in jobs graduates who currently hold internships. Most of the students come from disadvantaged backgrounds and many travel long distances every day to Sana'a from outlying areas to attend the classes, which are offered in Arabic and English.
Demand for the courses has been high, with each enrollment session oversubscribed. A graduation ceremony for the first three pilot classes was held on November 3, 2008, attracting publicity as well as financial commitments from local and international stakeholders.
