DOHA: Regional NGO Silatech, International Youth Foundation (IYF), Microsoft Corporation and online jobs matching company Jobs.ps are collaborating to assist more young Palestinians seeking work.
Silatech and Jobs.ps recently signed an agreement to connect the regional employability tools of Ta3mal with local resources and job opportunities provided in Palestine by Jobs.ps to help young Palestinians find employment. Jobs.ps serves more than 50,000 registered jobseekers and almost 2,000 active employers in Palestine.
Based on the current employment rates of Jobs.ps, it is estimated that over 2,000 additional young Palestinians will find jobs this year as a result of the agreement.
Launched in April 2012 by Silatech and Microsoft, Ta3mal is a regional network of employability portals linking youth to career guidance, soft skills and entrepreneurship training, eLearning, as well as internships and entry level job opportunities.
In Palestine, Silatech and Microsoft are working in collaboration with IYF to launch Ta3mal locally. Rula Shunnar, Silatech Country Representative in Palestine and Jordan, said, “Youth unemployment is one of the most problematic and enduring challenges our region faces today, and the difficulty of finding a job is compounded in Palestine by many restrictions the occupation places on physical movement.
“We believe technology provides the best way to empower young Palestinians, train them for the working world and link them directly to job opportunities despite challenges and restrictions on movement that they face.”
Amjad Hamarsheh, CEO, Jobs.ps, said the partnership between Jobs.ps, IYF, Silatech and Microsoft aims to strengthen and develop youngsters’ skills and provide them with new ones and expertise to increase their chances in obtaining jobs in their fields. It will also enhance the capacity of young people to start their own businesses and create job opportunities in the long run.
Dr Mohammed AlMbaid, Country Director for IYF in Palestine, said, “IYF is pleased to have Jobs.ps join the Palestine Ta3mal partnership as it will help consolidate services Palestinian youth and the private sector need in one user-friendly and accessible location.”
Youth unemployment in the Arab world stands at 28 percent — the highest in any region in the world. According to Palestinian Bureau of Statistics, unemployment among Palestinian youth as of the first quarter of 2014 reached 39.5 percent.
The Peninsula
