YOUTH EMPLOYMENT DIGITAL INCLUSION T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o N d e v e l o p m e n t
solutions for youth employment February 2014 This report was developed and published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
out of the youth employment and entrepreneurship initiative between ITU and Telecentre. org Foundation. The partnership seeks to advance youth employability, entrepreneurship, and social inclusion
by addressing challenges surrounding integrating young people into the employment market, highlighting innovative approaches and uses of ICTS,
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment iii Lead authors Chris Coward is the cofounder, Principal Research Scientist,
employing large-scale data analysis tools to analyse the impact of foreign-born workers in the US economy.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment iv Foreword Today†s youth face enormous challenges finding a job
why it†s imperative that we take concrete steps to ensure youth have meaningful work opportunities and
encouraging more graduates to become job creators, not job seekers ITU has a long history in helping young people to become entrepreneurs and launch ICT careers.
I am delighted that this report was developed in response to the Youth employment and Entrepreneurship initiative between ITU and Telecentre. org Foundation.
new Youth employment and Entrepreneurship Resources Database at www. itu. int/ITU-D/youth What will be required to connect more youth to this new world of opportunities?
reshaping pathways for employment and entrepreneurship. It is a dynamic environment where governments and other stakeholders need to be more adept at developing
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment v Table of contents Page 1 Introduction...1 1. 1 Organization of report...
2 Youth and unemployment...3 2. 1 A global crisis...3 2. 2 The skills mismatch...
3 New employment opportunities †Macro sectors...11 3. 1 Agriculture...12 3. 2 Health...13
4 New employment and entrepreneurship opportunities †Emerging sectors...17 4. 1 Online job services and job matching...
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment vi Page 6 Entrepreneurship skills and support...35 6. 1 Entrepreneurship skills...
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 1 1 Introduction Youth make up 17 per cent of the world†s population and 40 per cent of the world†s unemployed
unemployment not only hampers economic growth, for youth it can be a debilitating experience that affects their desire
and provide them with better opportunities for employment Against this backdrop, ongoing advances in information and communication technologies (ICTS) are
for both wage employment and creating one†s own business. ICT literacy not only qualifies people for jobs
emerging trends, focusing on new work opportunities, new skills, and new ways of acquiring these skills
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 2 adequately represent all of these in a report of reasonable length.
employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. The database is available at: www. itu. int/ITU-D/youth
unemployment and underemployment, illustrating the scale of the challenge and some of the factors that
The primary focus of the report follows, covering new employment sectors, new skills, and new ways of
and discusses a range of emerging work opportunities, from microwork to app development, that are a direct result of advances in ICTS and global internet diffusion.
Chapter 8 discusses the role of government in supporting youth employment and entrepreneurship. Chapter 9 offers some concluding thoughts
One of these is a working definition of employment and entrepreneurship. For purposes of this report a
It includes wage employment, self employment, and farming. Under this categorization, entrepreneurship is a form and subset of self employment.
Self employment, though can be a double-edged sword. â€oemany businesses in developing countries are started not to exploit
Digital opportunities: Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 3 business opportunities but because the owners cannot find satisfactory jobs. †2 In fact, â€oemost micro-and
small enterprises in developing countries are just forms of survivorship, with limited chances to grow. †3
This definition is intended not to diminish the importance of self employment. It is crucial for job creation
Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, adopts Schumpeter†s idea of an entrepreneur as one who is dynamic and willing to take risks to exploit existing business opportunities
2 Youth and unemployment Around the world youth disproportionately suffer from the malaise of unemployment.
The scale of the problem is immense, holding back economic growth while stifling the aspirations of people recently
unemployment, and discusses the primary causes of this acute state of affairs 2. 1 A global crisis
youth unemployment rate had fallen to 11.6 per cent in 2007 from 13.1 per cent in 2002,
even in countries where unemployment is low youth unemployment is twice the national average or greater.
Young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than their parents. 8 However, official unemployment rates mask greater challenges, as
http://works. bepress. com/mohammad amin/15 3 World bank, World Development Report 2013: Jobs (Washington, D c.:
interviews to field experts, conducted by the teams of each country 5 World bank. World Development Report 2013:
6 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †(Geneva: International Labour Office 2013), 1
7 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †3 8 Jenny Marlar, â€oeglobal Unemployment at 8%in 2011:
Youth are three times more likely than older adults to be unemployed, †(Gallup. com, April 17, 2012), www. gallup. com/poll/153884/Global-Unemployment-2011. aspx
Digital opportunities: Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 4 Underemployed youth is triple the unemployment rate. 9 These are predominantly youth who work in
the informal sector, facing low wages, no benefits, and a higher probability to be laid off without any type
of compensation. Many of these are subsistence jobs, which are common in Asia, Sub-saharan africa, and
For example, Sub-saharan africa has a youth unemployment rate close to 11 per cent, but three out of four workers are engaged in the informal sector.
Although these jobs count as employment they do little to contribute to an individual†s well-being and a country†s economic development
In addition, 621 million youth are â€oeidle††known as NEET (not in education, employment, or training
Rates of idleness vary across countries and gender among 15 to 24 year-olds, ranging between 10 per
) 10 Protracted adverse labour market conditions have led youth to give up completely their job search or seek additional education
Global youth unemployment and unemployment rate, 1991 †2013 Source: International labour organization (ILO) 11 9 Mona Mourshed et al.
Education to Employment: Designing a System that Works,(Washington, D c.:Mckinsey Center for Government, 2012), www. improvingthestudentexperience. com/library/general/Educationtoemployment. pdf
10 World bank. World Development Report 2013: Jobs,(Washington, D c.:World bank, 2012), 6, DOI: 10.1596/978-0-8213
11 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †8 Digital opportunities: Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment
5 Figure 2: Unemployment rates by age range Source: Gallup 2. 2 The skills mismatch In addition to the protracted economic crisis from which many countries are still trying to recover, a
troubling trend has emerged that experts call the skills mismatch. The skills mismatch is where â€oeover
obsolescence brought about by long-term unemployment. †12 This situation has multiple implications for youth. It renders solutions to the employment crisis more difficult to find,
and in the case of over -qualified youth society is â€oelosing their valuable skills and forfeiting stronger productivity growth that
States) only 43 per cent of employers said they could find employees with the right skills. 14 This mismatch
between what employers are looking for in new workers and the skills young people possess is
The unemployment situation varies significantly between developed and developing countries, and among and within regions.
In general, in the developed world long-term unemployment among youth is becoming acute, resulting in high levels of dissatisfaction and a lack of trust in socioeconomic and
in some developing economies, meaning they are unemployed, in irregular employment †most likely in the informal sector,
or neither in the labour force nor in education or training. †16 12 Ibid. 1
Education to Employment, 10 15 Ibid. 36 16 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †2
Youth More likely to Be unemployed and Underemployed Among those in the Labour force %Unemployed%Underemployed %Employed full time for
an employer 15-to 29-year-olds 15 26 43 30-to 49-year-olds 5 13 46
50-to 69-year-olds 5 13 36 Based on surveys in 148 countries and areas in 2011-GALLUP
http://www. gallup. com/poll/153884/Global-Unemployment-2011. aspx Digital opportunities: Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment
6 Figure 3: Youth unemployment rates, by region Source: International labour organization (ILO 2. 3 Regional trends: Developed countries
The youth unemployment rate in 2012 is estimated at 18.1 per cent. 17 The situation has improved not in
recent years with the number of unemployed youth increasing by more than 2 million from 2008 to 2012
By the second quarter of 2012, youth unemployment surpassed 15 per cent in two thirds of developed
Youth unemployment rates, 2008 and 2012 (second quarter %Source: International labour organization (ILO) 19 17 Ibid. 3 18 Ibid.
19 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †11 Youth unemployment rates 2000 and 2007†2016, by region
%2000 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012p 2013p 2014p 2015p 2016p WORLD 12.7 11.6 11.7 12.6 12.7 12.6 12.7 12.7 12.7 12.7 12.7
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 7 Youth not engaged in employment, education, or training (NEET) is one of the main challenges
policymakers in developed economies face. In Japan and the United states, NEET rates were 9. 7 and 15.6
likely to lack the life skills required for formal employment as well as the social networks needed to obtain
The costs of NEET youth alienation from the European labour market shows that absorbing just 20
per cent of this population into the labour market would save nations in the European union more than
The quality of youth employment has declined. Youth increasingly find themselves in nonstandard jobs such as temporary employment and part-time work.
Countries like Spain and Ireland have recorded increases in the youth part-time employment rate of 11.8 and 20.7 percentage points respectively
between the second quarter of 2008 and 2011.25 One out of three youth state that they opted for
temporary work because they could not find a permanent job, a proportion that has been rising since the
The labour market in the developing world is highly diverse and can range from the prevalence of self
-employment and farming to the coexistence of traditional and modern modes of production. 27 Nearly half
youth unemployment is still alarming in many countries, such as South africa (above 40 per cent since early 2008). 28
20 International labour organization, â€oeglobal Employment Trends for Youth 2012â€oe (Geneva: International Labour Office 2012), 31 21 International Youth Foundation, Opportunity for Action:
Preparing Youth for 21st Century Livelihoods,(Baltimore International Youth Foundation, 2012), 8, hwww. microsoft. com/en-us/news/presskits/citizenship/docs
22 European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working conditions, Young People and NEETS in Europe:
25 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2012,21 26 Ibid, 23 27 World bank, World Development Report 2013:
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 8 2. 4. 1 Latin america and the Caribbean In Latin america and the Caribbean, youth unemployment has declined recently
but is expected to resume its upward trend. 29 Since 2003 the youth unemployment rate has followed a rollercoaster
pattern, with the most recent two years from 2010 to 2012 marking a decrease from 15.4 to 12.9 per
The youth unemployment rate is significantly higher among Latin american women. The percentage of unemployed young women (17 per cent) is 6 percentage points higher than that of young men (11 per
employers continue to offer certain jobs only to men, as they believe hiring women will entail labour costs
due to maternity leave Low quality schooling and high dropout rates supress youth employment. According to the Economic Commission for Latin america and the Caribbean, completing a high quality secondary education is an
important threshold for increasing the odds of obtaining a quality job. 32 While about 89 per cent of young
people in the region begin secondary education, less than one-half complete it. 33 In addition, rates of educational achievement indicate that Latin american and Caribbean countries rank in the bottom third in
Employment opportunities do not necessarily increase with higher levels of education. In countries such as Argentina, Chile, and Peru there exists a higher concentration of unemployment among youth with
secondary education than either primary or advanced education. 35 This situation reflects a skills mismatch wherein there is stronger demand for workers with a college education than those with secondary
education 2. 4. 2 Arab States Youth unemployment rates in the middle East continue to be the highest in the world.
The 2012 youth unemployment rate was estimated at 28.3 per cent in the middle East, and 23.7 per cent in North africa. 36
Labour market conditions for young people remain dire, despite advances in educational attainment over the past two decades. 37 Gender disparities are also common in this region, with 42.6 per cent of young
29 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †18 30 Ibid 31 International labour organization, â€oedecent Work and Youth in Latin america, †(Geneva:
ILO, 2010), 18 32 International Youth Foundation, Opportunity for Action: Preparing Youth for 21st Century Livelihoods, 6
35 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †18 36 ibid. 4 37 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2012,17
38 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †19 Digital opportunities: Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment
9 Youth face an underdeveloped private sector and a growing informal sector. The Middle east has among
the largest 15 to 24 year-old cohort in the world, at 21 per cent of the total population. 39 Although this
Informal employment in the middle East, at about 67 per cent of the workforce, is higher than that in
other middle income regions. 41 As a result, young people in the middle East are likely to enter the labour
Formal employment in the Arab States is associated strongly with public sector jobs. Young people are more likely to look for employment in the public sector because these jobs offer higher pay, better
benefits, fewer working hours, and job security. However, jobs in this sector are contracting. Meanwhile new jobs available in the private sector are filled not as youth continue to pursue public sector jobs
Technical training in science, technology, and engineering is needed particularly in this region. 43 2. 4. 3 Central and South Eastern europe and CIS
The overall youth unemployment rate for the region has fallen, but this decline masks disparities among and within countries.
the youth unemployment rate for the region has declined to 17.9 per cent in 2012.44 In some countries the youth unemployment rate is very
high (e g. Armenia, 39.1 per cent. In other countries the situation has improved. For example, in Azerbaijan, youth unemployment has declined from 18.4 percent in 1999 to 11.0 per cent in 2010;
in Turkey it fell from 25.3 per cent in 2009 to 17.5 per cent in 2012.
Russian Federation, youth unemployment in Moscow was 5 per cent, compared to 51.3 per cent in
The situation of the youth labour market is in many ways different to that in Latin america and the Arab
and for skilled blue-collar workers. †46 The region has high numbers of university graduates in fields highly
desired by employers today, like science, technology, and math. 47 This mismatch is demonstrated in surveys indicating high rates of employer dissatisfaction with the availability of skilled workers, 40 per
39 World bank, The Road Not Traveled: Education Reform in the middle East and North africa, Executive Summary Washington, D c.,2007), 11
44 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †17 45 Ibid. 17 46 Ibid.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 10 cent in one 2008 survey. 48 Educational achievement as measured by the Programme for International
Comparatively, the youth unemployment rate is lower in Asia than in other regions. South Asia (9. 3 per
cent) and East asia (9. 5 per cent) have the lowest regional youth unemployment rates, while Southeast
and ILO estimates that 70 per cent of the working poor youth are engaged in the agricultural sector. 51 Jobs in this sector are usually informal, with no benefits, protection, and subject to
The youth unemployment rate in Sub-saharan africa is 11.8 per cent with large variances in the continent. 56 Countries with the highest youth unemployment rates include South africa, with over half of
the youth population unemployed, Namibia (58.9 per cent in 2008), Reunion (58.6 per cent in 2011), and
50 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †13-15 51 International Youth Foundation, Opportunity for Action:
53 International labour organization,"China Youth employment Report,"(Geneva: ILO, 2005 54 UNESCO, Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2010,(Paris:
56 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, †20 57 Ibid. 20 Digital opportunities:
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 11 Africa has the highest rate of working poor, estimated at 40.1 per cent in 2012.58 More than three out of
four workers are engaged in the informal sector. 59 This is far high than all other regions except South Asia
As a result, African youth are typically found in vulnerable employment conditions. ILO estimates that an
average of 2. 1 million young people will be entering the labour market every year between 2011 and
2015, highlighting the need for new opportunities beyond the traditional sectors Figure 5: Informal sector employment shares, by region (2009
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database Educational attainment among youth is chronically low. In Sub-saharan africa just 77 per cent of
3 New employment opportunities †Macro sectors The diffusion of ICTS is occurring across all economic sectors and job categories.
In today†s job market basic ICT skills are considered essential for people entering the workforce and for those trying to find a
59 International labour organization,"Global Employment Trends for Youth 2012,26 60 UNESCO Institute for Statistics,"Global Education Digest 2011,"(Montreal:
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 12 This chapter explores how ICTS are transforming three sectors:
ICT-led transformations of all workforce sectors should improve the employment and entrepreneurial prospects of youth with ICT skills.
opportunities in the offshore services sector where the majority of employees are youth 3. 1 Agriculture
opportunities for ICT-related job creation. Upgrading workforce skills is becoming a key factor in the
The Community Knowledge Worker (CKW) programme is an initiative of The Grameen Foundation in Uganda that features a network of information intermediaries using mobile
The Grameen Foundation works with local agricultural research organizations and other experts to curate content
and administer the services. Currently there are 98 CKWS operating in Eastern Uganda, with expansion plans underway for the coming
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 13 3. 2 Health Healthcare is a global multi-trillion dollar industry that is undergoing massive changes as a result of ICT
health workers and patients outside regular office visits 3. Improve diagnosis and treatment: Technology improves clinical performance,
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 14 Figure 6: Technology-enabled programmes, by purpose Source: World health organization, 2012
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 15 THE WHO study also reveals many programmes that face important barriers. 71 Problems with end-user
knowledge economy. 74 This industry offers a good salary, career development opportunities for graduates and professionals,
and the opportunity to incorporate into the labour market marginalized groups like rural women or unemployed youth.
human resources (HRM), and customer relationships (CRM). KPO refers to specialized and high-value added activities
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 16 Firms or countries tend to follow any of the five following trajectories
Most workers are likely to require specialized training in order to fill the knowledge gap between local education systems and the high-quality standards required to serve the global market. 77
had achieved significant growth with 25 000 employees in 65 centres, compared to 9 000 employees each in El salvador and Guatemala. 79 Since these countries principally serve the
Hispanic market, the use of â€oespanglish†by clients requires call centre agents to also understand English.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 17 4 New employment and entrepreneurship opportunities †Emerging sectors
The increasing adoption of ICTS in everyday life, and the growing marketplace for digital goods and
services, are creating opportunities for youth to find employment that transcend traditional paradigms The way young people find
and carry out work is changing. Instead of looking in the local newspaper youth around the world browse web-based job listings to find work.
Those with limited access to the internet carry out their job searches at public venues †telecentres, libraries,
employment in their own communities. New approaches to outsourcing like crowdsourcing and microwork are providing young people worldwide with task
-and project-based work opportunities-many of which are restricted not to highly skilled developers, but can also extend to semiskilled
workers with access to a relatively basic digital infrastructure. 80 The global increase in the use of mobile technologies is playing a key role in expanding employment
opportunities for youth. Great potential for employment growth derives from a demand for services enabled by mobile phones. 81 Young people can now find
and carry out work, launch their entrepreneurial endeavours and even get paid via their cell phones.
Young people are doing mobile microwork, and also being contracted to carry out market research in their own communities.
â€oeapp economy†83 might generate new employment opportunities for young people around the world Many young computer programmers are finding jobs working directly for software development firms.
This chapter explores a range of emerging opportunities involving ICTS and youth employment and entrepreneurship. First, the ways in which young people find work through digital job matching services is
covered, followed by new opportunities for ICT enabled employment. The chapter then turns to the
growing app industry, its potential for employment, and some of the issues related to becoming an app
employment for young people around the world. Lastly opportunities that green jobs may hold for youth
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 18 4. 1 Online job services and job matching While it may be skilled common for, educated workers to use existing web-based job-matching services to
find job openings, many workers may not have access to job postings on the internet and may lack the
social networks to find out about work opportunities. Searching for informal sector jobs often occurs through word-of-mouth,
which limits people to their immediate social group. Employers may find it hard to identify lower-skilled workers for entry-level jobs in developing countries as many of the job matching
services target more qualified candidates Mobile phones are becoming an important tool for job seekers and there are a number of job-matching
services in the developing world that simplify the job search process. These services are proving to be very
beneficial for people with basic literacies but who may not possess the knowledge to create a rã sumã Ì or
Souktel†s Jobmatch Program connects thousands of job seekers in the Arab States with employers who are looking for staff through an easy-to-use SMS and mobile audio
technology. Employers enter job openings into Souktel's database. Young job seekers use their mobile phones to create
and update personal profiles in Souktel's system. When position openings match job seekers†qualifications, they are notified via text message.
Souktel†s mobile-based job search functionality is especially useful in the middle East and Africa where young women may not have the same freedoms to seek employment through conventional
means, and men largely dominate internet cafes Website: www. souktel. org 4. 2 Microwork and crowdsourcing
group, such as paid employees. 85 84 World bank, Information and Communications for Development 2012: Maximizing Mobile, 75
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 19 Figure 8: Crowdsourcing vs. Microwork Source: Author elaboration and Howe (2008
multiple workers complete a single task that has been broken down into small units (similar to microwork
Other models are qualified based on matching workers with a particular project; workers will then complete the project individually or as part of a team.
Most workers are compensated via electronic payment systems, such as Paypal. Crowdsourcing is becoming increasingly popular as a way for employers
to instantaneously increase their workforce †without the investment and commitments associated with hiring full-time employees †though,
as critics point out, this also enables companies to avoid providing social benefits such as healthcare for these workers.
The Crowdsourcing Examples Wiki maintains a comprehensive list of businesses, sites, and forums that use crowdsourcing. 86
Crowdflower Crowdflower is one of the largest crowdsourcing platforms, offering a range of services from
the work needs to be completed quickly in order to maximize sales. Crowdflower uses crowdsourcing to harness a round-the-clock workforce that spans more than 70 countries
and can access up to half a million workers to dispatch diverse tasks and provide near-real time answers.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 20 Microwork Microwork is a series of small tasks that have been broken out of a larger business process
granular †unit of work in a virtual assembly line. 88 It also requires the lowest level of skills
Microwork works in tandem with crowdsourcing. Granular tasks are distributed via â€oeaggregators†to workers across geographic boundaries, using the internet or mobile phones.
Workers are paid small amounts of money for completing each task. Microwork favours tasks that cannot be automated readily
and that can be completed in a few seconds by a worker without special skills or training, like tagging
products on an e-commerce site Referred to as a kind of digital blue-collar work, microwork requires little training, and many
microworkers are located already in the developing world. Microwork benefits workers in developing countries, especially women and young people who tend to experience higher unemployment and
underemployment and could benefit from flexible income-generating opportunities. 89 The microwork market is growing rapidly.
The World bank estimates that the global microwork market generates between USD450 million to USD900 million annually,
More than 1 million workers earned a total of USD 1 billion to USD2 billion in the past
employing people with limited opportunities for sustainable employment as principal workers in business process outsourcing centres to provide high-quality, information-based services to domestic and
submit innovative ideas for microwork projects to aid digital job creation in developing countries. The m2work challenge calls for participants to identify real-world problems that could be addressed by
89 World bank, â€oenew Frontiers and Opportunities in Work. ICT is Dramatically Reshaping the Global Job Market†(ICT
www. rockefellerfoundation. org/blog/job creation-through-building-field Digital opportunities: Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment
21 Samasource is a nonprofit organization that brings digital work opportunities to people around the world.
Samasource secures contracts with companies including Google, Intuit, and CISCO; it has provided services to Linkedin and the U s. State department,
Workers develop capacity including computer skills and English Website: www. samasource. org 4. 3 Apps development
employment opportunities for young people around the world. The rapid rise of smartphones, tablets and social media,
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 22 Jobs in the app economy can be categorized as follows •IT-related jobs that use app economy skills†the ability to develop,
•Non-IT jobs (such as human resources or marketing) which support app developers in the same
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 23 Figure 9: Global map of app trade routes Source: Developer Economics 2012
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 24 The World bank Bank†s infodev programme, in collaboration with the Government of Finland and Nokia
as help developers and entrepreneurs to connect with potential investors, experts, and public sector leaders The mlabs are complemented by eight mhubs,
Africa†s early-stage start-ups to address the issue of youth unemployment across the continent In many developing countries where mobile phones are the primary means of accessing information via
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 25 winners receiving incubation, financial, and other forms of support. 99 This is a model that many other
persons with disabilities unprecedented levels of access to education, skills training and employment, as well as the opportunity to participate in the economic, cultural and social life of their communities. †100
employment, in many cases stimulated by initiatives and organizations focused specifically on empowering this population
significant source of digital employment for young people. Gaming platforms also rely on the outsourcing of small tasks through third-party gaming services like Crowdflower.
employment for themselves as digital entrepreneurs. An estimated 100 000 young, low-skilled workers in China and Viet nam earn their primary income by outsourcing their services to gaming platforms. 102 The
third-party online gaming services segment consists mainly of activities known as â€oegold farming†103 and â€oepower-leveling. †104 Both are essentially services where an online game player hires someone else to play
employment as gold farmers 104 Power-leveling is using the help of another, stronger player in a role playing video game to level a character more
employee to play the character for the customer until a desired level is reached 105 Lehdonvirta and Ernkvist.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 26 4. 6 Mobile phone repair and computer assembly Mobile phone repair as well as computer maintenance and assembly continue to be important areas of
youth job training and employment in many regions around the world. In cities throughout the developing
people†s first interactions with technology as well as a huge source of employment and entrepreneurship There are countless initiatives that offer youth skills training in device repair, local employment
opportunities, as well as business training for local micro enterprises Action Technique pour un Developpement Communautaire Action Technique pour un Developpement Communautaire (ATEDEC) is designed a project to
suffering from unemployment, delinquency, and drug abuse. In partnership with a youth livelihoods programme called AKAZI KANOZE, youth are trained in computer maintenance and
opportunity for employment in which ICTS and youth could play a major role. It is estimated that a shift to
lift tens of millions of workers out of poverty. 106 A recent OECD report argues that promoting ICT skills in
the green and smart economy pays a double dividend by encouraging job creation and accelerating the
and human resources required to implement ICT strategies towards †greener†and more resilient societies at the international, national and local levels. 108
the most from job creation, including forestry, agriculture, building, transport, services, administration and renewable energy. 109
106 International labour organization, Working Towards Sustainable Development Opportunities for Decent Work and Social Inclusion in a Green Economy,(Geneva:
International Labour Office, 2012 107 OECD, â€oeict Skills and Employment: New Competences and Jobs for a Greener and Smarter Economy, †OECD Digital
Economy Papers, No. 198,(OECD Publishing, 2012), http://dx. doi. org/10.1787/5k994f3prlr5-en 108 Angelica Valeria Ospina, â€oethe Outcome of Rio+20:
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 27 Employment growth in the renewable energy sector alone is projected to be impressive for the coming
decades. A UNEP report suggests that by 2030, given the increasing interest in energy alternatives, up to
Other areas of employment in the green economy that involve a range of ICTS from geographic
some 7 per cent of all formal employment. 112 110 United nations Environment Programme. â€oegreen Economy, Renewable Energy:
111 OECD, â€oeict Skills and Employment: New Competences and Jobs for a Greener and Smarter Economy. â€
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 28 4. 7. 2 Green jobs for youth The dialogue around ICTS and the green economy has centered largely on food security, sustainable
would in turn generate youth employment. 113 Youth have expressed a strong interest in renewable energy and fighting climate change as evidenced in
jobs to increase our employment and youth employment rates. †115 Paulo, YMCA volunteer Upgrading youth ICT skills will be a key factor in their ability to participate in and benefit from the green
experts have developed new literacy frameworks in order to describe and delineate other types of ICT skills. These go by such names such as digital literacy, information literacy, ICT
115 UN Focal point on Youth, â€oewhat Are the Up-and-coming Areas for Youth employment in Your Country?
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 29 a variation of ICT skills that is becoming increasingly important for some careers.
employment 5. 1 Computer literacy Computer literacy â€oerefers to the ability to use computers and related technologies, from end-users to ICT
hospital employees must be able to use medical records systems order supplies, manage appointments and perform other routine tasks on a computer that used to be
Even in many jobs that do not entail contact with a computer employers are screening for
basic computer skills as a minimum qualification for employment. 117 An increasing number of non-IT
117 Author Chris Coward†s interviews in southern Viet nam of several light manufacturing facilities revealed that employers
required job applicants to have computer skills even though they would not use computers in their tasks
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 30 5. 2 Digital literacy Most of today†s attention around ICT skills is focused on the concept of digital literacy.
of the European commission, has undertaken extensive work around digital literacy. In its 2013 report they propose a comprehensive framework that exemplifies the types of competencies many experts note
are required to be digitally literate. 118 Figure 10: Digital competence framework Dimension 1 Competence areas
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 31 Second, being digitally literate involves much more than having technical skills.
Understands the dynamics of collaborative work and of giving and receiving feedback Skills examples Is able to use the collaborative features of software packages and
of the 21 competences contains examples of its relevance to people in typical work situations.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 32 All of these distinctions have important implications for digital literacy training.
with global experts, web literacies refers to â€oenot only being able to read the web
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 33 Figure 12: Web skills/Competencies/Literacies grid EXPLORING CREATING CONNECTING PROTECTING
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 34 5. 4 Complementary skills The discussion in this chapter so far has focused on the ICT-related skills required for meaningful
participation in society as well as work. Beyond these technical skills, many initiatives and organizations have recognized the need for people to have a set of complementary soft skills to become more
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 35 Learning and innovation skills •creativity and innovation •critical thinking and problem solving
services aimed at improving the employment prospects of their clients. These services include: 125 •CV preparation
•employee connection services •information on local labour markets •sector-specific training, often in collaboration with industry
•language training, especially English 6 Entrepreneurship skills and support It is recognized widely that entrepreneurship is a necessary ingredient for stimulating economic growth
and employment opportunities around the world. In developing countries successful small businesses are the primary engines of job creation, income growth,
and poverty reduction. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) estimated that 388 million entrepreneurs were engaged actively in starting and running
between the ages of 18 and 35.126 Considering staggering global youth unemployment levels, much hope for youth lies in their ability to become job creators rather than job seekers
This chapter addresses the skills and attributes necessary to become an entrepreneur, and the types of
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 36 Business incubators and accelerators are emerging around the world seeking to emulate the successes of
are key to helping young people create employment opportunities for themselves and their communities 128 David Rowan, â€oewant to become an Internet billionaire?
Support,"(OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Working papers 11,2010), www. oecd -ilibrary. org/content/workingpaper/5km7rq0k8h9q-en
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 37 Figure 14: Core entrepreneurial skills and attributes132 *English continues to be recognized as key for conducting business
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 38 Important skills for digital entrepreneurs In addition, digital entrepreneurs also require skills in a variety of areas related to business
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 39 Micromentor is an initiative of the nonprofit humanitarian agency Mercy Corps that offers
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 40 turn to crowdfunding as one of their primary sources of investment capital.
and meet experts. They can also receive dedicated mentorship support and open a round of
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 41 6. 4 Toolkits and training programmes There are many digital resources designed to help young entrepreneurs that have been created by the
Other mobile payment processors that work with mobile devices, such as Square147, are also making business transactions easier for young entrepreneurs
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 42 Providing access to market information has long been a goal of many initiatives,
training, apprenticeships, business training, funding and/or mentorship, among others. These comprehensive programmes offer integrated services for young entrepreneurs with the aim of facilitating
connecting them with greater opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship Through Youthspark, Microsoft will dedicate the majority of its cash contributions to nonprofit
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 43 A study looking at learning spaces and the influence of ICTS identifies six trends as the hallmark of the
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 44 Figure 15: Story of Kelvin Doe Source: Authors 7. 1 New learning models
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 45 Figure 16: Blended learning and ICTS Source: Authors The blended learning process relies on digital environments called Learning Management Systems (LMS
who present their scientific work using video or other technology. 150 150 See the creative products that came
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 46 Blended learning has gained popularity mostly in European and North american high schools, colleges and
network, and it currently works in 27 countries, through 53 partner institutions, reaching Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone African students.
work and study. It is expected that more and more universities and institutions will be using the blended learning model around the world
151 International Labour Office, Apprenticeship in the Informal Economy in Africa,(Geneva: ILO, 2008 Digital opportunities:
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 47 Prominent and emerging models of self-directed learning include open universities,
Experts think that MOOCS, OERS, and OCW constitute a disruptive technology in education. MOOCS are
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 48 Similar services continue to grow as universities and other educational institutions seize the power of ICTS
It informs the work of MOOCS, OCW and other open access pedagogical exercises. MOOCS for instances have drawn on such connectivist pedagogical principles as:
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 49 Figure 18: Social capital and collaborative/peer learning Source:
In the context of youth employment, it is important to consider the benefits that participating in
contacts with peers and experts in the field of interest; thus collaborative learning offers networking
A number of initiatives have been created to help employees get the required ICTS skills on the job. These initiatives are designed to prepare youth for a better and more
productive work experience. The initiatives †driven by private sector, civil society and international agencies †offer training opportunities, internships, apprentice programmes, and mentoring.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 50 work alongside more experienced workers they acquire and develop many of the same ICT and soft skills
and capacities of their mentors and co-workers. 164 This also explains the growing popularity of co-working
Partnerships for learning and work Source: ITU Google summer of code, launched in 2005, is a global programme that has granted over
opportunity for employment Website: code. google. com/soc 7. 3 Learning and innovation places The classic notion of the learning place is associated with organized institutions such as schools
universities, and vocational training centres. With the advance of new learning models described above youth are taking learning to places like technology hubs, co-working spaces,
to work and learn on the job Digital opportunities: Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 51 A report prepared for the European commission in 2008 predicted some of these changes by arguing that
the emergence and wide adoption of web 2. 0 technologies would give rise to social networking collaborative content creation and democratized innovation. 165 The technological changes seen in the
Most of these spaces offer classes in how to use the equipment and work with
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 52 7. 4 Repositories, games and mobile resources Using online channels to learn
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 53 7. 4. 3 Social media Social media are used extensively for learning as well.
Education experts call this connectivism, where â€oeknowledge isn†t a set of isolated facts to be memorized.
with ongoing research being undertaken to understand what works the conditions that contribute to successful outcomes,
-work/education/im-in-the-mood-for-moocs 169 ITU, Measuring the Information Society 2013,(Geneva:
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 54 There is an opportunity for public access points, such as telecentres, libraries,
For employers, certificates remain an important mechanism to assess the credentials of potential job candidates.
Companies require evidence that new employees possess the skills needed for tasks that they will perform in their jobs
Employers assign great weight to such certificates when the credentialing entity is recognized well known and in the country for high
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 55 The European Computer Driving Licence is an international computer skills certification
prepare people for work or studies. Certification programmes are designed to be accessible to everyone, and there are fees associated with the certification
Figure 20 shows how Mozilla Open Badges work. As depicted, the learner is at the centre of the system
â€oebackpack†where they can be displayed online for potential employers and others to view One distinctive feature of badges is that they contain information about assessment and other metadata
that can be useful to employers to understand, for example, precisely what skills have been learned, a level of granularity that is unavailable in other forms of accreditation.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 56 Figure 20: How Open Badges work Source: Mozilla Open Badges175
8 The role of government In a statement released for International Youth Day 2012, the UN Secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon
are educated highly, suffer from low-wage, deadend work and record levels of unemployment. †176 Youth
unemployment and underemployment are at a record high. Tackling this enormous challenge requires the coordinated efforts of governments, the private sector, civil society, academia and international agencies
designed to harness ICTS for youth education, employment, and entrepreneurship. The examples are the result of a combination of factors:
partnerships across sectors to spur innovation, economic growth and employment. International agencies have played a vital role by bringing attention to the urgent needs of youth, and convening governments
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 57 This chapter looks at the role of governments in advancing policies, programmes and strategies for youth
employment and entrepreneurship. It is concerned especially with the school to work transition, an important period in the lives of youth.
The chapter focuses on five areas:(1) integrating ICTS into education,(2) supporting non-formal channels of learning,(3) supporting alternative accreditation
and (5) enacting policies that boost employment and entrepreneurship opportunities 8. 1 ICTS in education
preparing students to meet the demands of a changing job market. 177 The report emphasizes that formal
Many experts have linked the limitations of the educational systems to a lack of real integration of ICTS in
a significant amount of work is needed still. Nonetheless, it should be noted that new national 177 OECD, OECD Science, Technology and Industry Outlook 2012 (OECD Publishing, 2012), 486
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 58 programmes in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Pakistan, and Viet nam designed to
strategy that guides the work of multiple ministries enhances complementarity of efforts and reduces redundancy.
In some countries ministries of labour, telecommunications, youth or human development education, social development and even industry work together to identify common areas of interest and
develop targeted activities. 185 The following examples show the initiatives deployed in two countries, Uruguay and Estonia, illustrating
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 59 8. 2 ICT skill development in non-formal educational settings
the work of education granting organizations and institutions. Such systems are of course important and need to be updated continuously to reflect changes in technology and workforce needs
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 60 At the same time, it is important for governments to recognize the growth and influence of alternative
One of the chief complaints from employers is that they cannot find qualified labour to fill the vacancies
they are qualified. 197 This skills mismatch is a leading cause of the youth unemployment crisis Establishing channels for dialogue among industry leaders, policymakers, academia,
which in turn contributes to the formulation of education and labour policies that responds to the needs of the market and spurs innovation.
partnerships a priority and have dedicated budgets for apprenticeship, job placements, and other programmes. Civil society organizations can be involved as well
In the United kingdom, the National Apprenticeships Service has developed a three-way partnership with QA Apprenticeships and Cisco Apprenticeship to offer high school graduates three-year apprenticeship
opportunities with CISCO. 199 In Jordan the Ministry of Social Development is responsible for a programme
199 â€oecisco, †QA Apprenticeships, http://apprenticeships. qa. com/employers/corporate-bespoke-apprenticeships/qa -apprenticeships-at-cisco
200 International Youth Foundation, www. iyfnet. org/news/1160 201 Tandon et al. A Bright Future in ICTS Opportunities for a New Generation of Women;
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 61 Another area for government-private sector partnership is job placement.
In the apprenticeship examples above, participants are remunerated for their work and also have the opportunity to study part-time
After completing the programme, participants are expected to find jobs on their own. Other programmes are limited to training,
apprenticeships, internships or any other form of on-the-job-training opportunity, they limit their commitment to the duration of the programme.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 62 •Foster innovation through contests and competitions. This can be accomplished by partnering
The transformations taking place around youth, ICTS, employment, and entrepreneurship are characterized by rapid change and innovation.
office work, such skills are insufficient for many of the new opportunities described in this report
apprenticeships, and networking events represent just a few of the ways people learn, and innovate together.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 63 and have driven the explosive expansion of social media and other web 2. 0 applications.
and positioned to seize new employment and entrepreneurship opportunities? The report has outlined a number of strategies pertaining to the role of government
Public-private partnerships can further advance youth employment through training, internships, and job placement programmes. Policies and programmes to support
and connecting them to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. Telecentres, libraries community technology centres and other places that offer computer resources, internet connectivity, and
the needs of youth and support governments in implementing youth employment and entrepreneurship strategies, while development agencies and foundations can provide financial support and expertise
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 64 Gestion du spectre radioã lectrique au Niger References Amin, Mohammad.
http://works. bepress. com/mohammad amin/15 Ban Ki-moon. â€oesecretary-General†s Message for 2012: International Youth Day, †UN. org
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working conditions (Eurofound. Young People and NEETS in Europe:
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"OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED Working papers 11 (2010. www. oecd-ilibrary. org/content/workingpaper/5km7rq0k8h9q-en
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"Geneva: International Labour Office, 2005 International labour organization.""Decent Work and Youth in Latin america.""Geneva: International Labour Office, 2010
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/International Telecommunication Union (ITU. Measuring the Information Society 2013. Geneva: ITU 2013). ) www. itu. int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/publications/mis2013. aspx
International Youth Foundation. Opportunity for Action: Preparing Youth for 21st Century Livelihoods Baltimore: International Youth Foundation, 2012. www. microsoft. com/en
-us/news/presskits/citizenship/docs/finalopp for action paper. pdf Jenvey, Nicola. â€oesa delegation praises DEMO Africa innovation competition in Kenya. †Young Business
Leaders, November 16, 2012. http://ybl. co. za/demo-africa-south-africa-contestants /Johnson, Larry, Samantha Adams Becker, Holly Ludgate, Michele Cummins, and Victoria Estrada
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and Michele Cummins. â€oethe NMC Horizon Report: 2012 Higher Education Edition. †Austin: The New Media Consortium. www. nmc. org/publications/horizon
Marlar, Jenny. â€oeglobal Unemployment at 8%in 2011: Youth are three times more likely than older
-Unemployment-2011. aspx Mcfedries, Paul. â€oei†m in the Mood for MOOCS. †IEEE Spectrum, December 4, 2012
Job creation Through Building the Field of Impact Sourcing. Rockefeller Foundation 2011. www. rockefellerfoundation. org/blog/job creation-through-building-field
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67 OECD. ICT Skills and Employment: New Competences and Jobs for a Greener and Smarter Economy
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/UN Focal point on Youth. â€oewhat Are the Up-and-coming Areas for Youth employment in Your Country? †UN World Youth Report Website.
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 68 United nations Environment Programme. â€oetransition to Green Economy Could Yield up to 60 Million
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Summary. Washington, D c.:World bank, 2007 World bank. Striving For Better Jobs: The Challenge of Informality in the middle East and North africa
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 69 Glossary Accelerators For-profit incubator that support start-ups with funding and other services in
human resources, and customer services Codefest An event where technical people convene to write computer code Coding Writing instructions for a computer program
Connectivism A network-based pedagogy that informs the work of MOOCS, OCW and other open access initiatives
constituencies (customers, partners, suppliers, employees, etc..ERM goes beyond customer relationship management (CRM Flipped classroom An instructional model where students view video lectures and other online
resources outside of class, with class time devoted to discussion and group work Geographic information system
and/or other experts come together to collaborate and produce software projects, apps, and other solutions
Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment 70 HTML Hypertext markup language (HTML) is the main markup language for creating
The management process of an organization†s human resources, encompassing employee recruitment, selection, assessment and other functions
Impact sourcing Socially responsible business process outsourcing (i e. by employing people from disadvantaged groups Incubators Programs that support start-ups through business support services and resources
Refers to the outsourcing of computer or internet related work, such as programming Knowledge process outsourcing (KPO
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT DIGITAL INCLUSION T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o N d e v e l o p m e n t
Innovative ICTSOLUTIONS for youth employment Lead authors Foreword Table of contents 1 Introduction 1. 1 Organization of report
2 Youth and unemployment 2. 1 A global crisis 2. 2 The skills mismatch 2. 3 Regional trends:
3 New employment opportunities-Macro sectors 3. 1 Agriculture 3. 2 Health 3. 3 Offshore services
4 New employment and entrepreneurship opportunities-Emerging sectors 4. 1 Online job services and job matching
Overtext Web Module V3.0 Alpha
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