AI-Based Career Resources Tackle Youth Joblessness Issue
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) predicts a surge of 230 million digital jobs by 2030, all requiring some level of digital skills. To address youth unemployment, strategies for scaling AI career tools are being implemented, focusing on personalised career guidance, skill gap identification, and job matching using real-time labor market data.
Notable initiatives include South Africa’s Tshepo 1Million, Microsoft partnerships, and startups supported by programs like Google for Startups Accelerator Africa. These AI-driven solutions aim to bridge the gap between education systems and the evolving job market needs by tailoring advice and connecting youth to relevant opportunities.
Key strategies for scaling these AI career tools include partnerships between governments, private sector, and communities, startup accelerators and incubators, investments in digital skills development, and tackling the urban-rural digital divide. However, challenges such as poor internet connectivity, infrastructure deficits, skill mismatch, lack of local AI talent, policy gaps, and regulatory environments pose significant hurdles.
Educational institutions are evolving to include not just technical skills but also soft skills like communication, business strategy, ethics, and psychology in their training programs. Private sector organisations are urged to step up investment in workforce development and allocate a budget for upskilling their existing workforce.
Collaboration across sectors will be essential to harness AI’s potential and create more effective interventions that truly impact young people’s lives. AI could contribute up to $1.5 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2030, but only 10% of that impact is projected to reach the Global South without targeted investments in infrastructure, talent, and governance.
The future of youth employment in Africa depends on moving from plans to tangible results, ensuring AI career tools are accessible and impactful across the continent. Partnerships like the BrighterMonday Uganda-Mastercard Foundation collaboration showcase how AI-powered tools are already making strides by providing real-time, personalised job search support.
Governments and policymakers must design evidence-based programs and invest in infrastructure to foster youth employment in the labor market. By working together, sharing insights, and using this evidence base, we can make more informed decisions and create more effective interventions that truly impact young people’s lives.
Sustained collaboration is vital to ensure individuals are employable and can integrate AI into every aspect of the workplace. As David Sokefun from Codar Tech Africa notes, "in the 21st century, illiteracy pertains to those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." Young people must take charge of their own futures by committing to continuous learning and leveraging data insights to guide their career paths.
References:
[1] World Economic Forum. (2021). AI for Jobs in Africa: Leveraging AI to Address Youth Unemployment. [2] Google for Startups. (2021). Google for Startups Accelerator Africa. [3] World Data Lab. (2020). The Future of Work in Africa: Understanding the Impact of AI on Jobs. [4] Mastercard Foundation. (2020). Youth Employment in Africa: A Collaborative Approach.
- In the quest to bridge the job market needs and education systems in Sub-Saharan Africa, regulatory frameworks must be established to foster investments in infrastructure and talent development within the AI sector, ensuring a conducive environment for education-and-self-development programs, finance, and technology initiatives.
- As AI solutions are scaled to address youth unemployment, general-news outlets should highlight partnerships between governments, private sector, and communities, as well as programs like Google for Startups Accelerator Africa, to raise awareness about the impact of these AI career tools on education, job creation, and financial growth in Africa.
