Open - 2011 USAID Global Workshop on Education and Development

Souktel:
Mobile Technology
that Helps Youth
Find Jobs and Training
Overview - Aug. 2009
Souktel: Who We Are
¾ Founded 2006 by Harvard and AAUJ Graduates
¾ Supporting USAID EGAT projects since 2007
¾ 2009 Winner, King Abdullah Award, World Economic Forum
¾ 2008 Grantee, World Bank Quality Improvement Fund
¾ Key expertise:
• Serving the development community: USAID and partners
• Creating basic, accessible education/training information
technology for low-income users
¾ Main offices: Middle East, Canada, USA
¾ Countries of operation: West Bank/Gaza, Iraq, Jordan,
Somaliland
¾ Partners include: UN-OCHA, Red Cross, Mercy Corps, CHF
International, Al-Jazeera TV.
The Challenge:
USAID Country Characteristics
• Poor physical infrastructure; poor transport networks
• Unregulated, disorganized labor market; large informal
sector
• Inefficient communication between schools/vocational
institutes and private sector employers
• Poor labor market information mechanisms; lack of job
counselling resources; weak public sector WFD support
• Employers: High expectations; hiring biases
• Job-seekers: lack of experience/references; low Internet
access (but growing cell phone access)
The Enabler: Mobile Phones
• In almost all developing countries, more youth use cell
phones than the web:
¾ Nigeria: 32 million cell phone users; only 8 million web users
¾ Bangladesh: 30 cell phone users for each web user
• Cell phones are the fastest-growing communications
medium in the developing world:
¾ Kenya: Cell phone ownership jumps 160% between 2004 and
2006, twice the growth rate of web access.
¾ India: Cell phone ownership grows 240% between 2004 and
2006, 3 times as fast as web access rates.
(source: US State Dept., 2008)
Percentage of
Palestinian Youth Using:
Source: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 2006
Palestine – Communications Costs:
One Month
Source: Palestinian Telecommunications Group (Paltel), 2008
What is SMS? Why Use It?
• Available on all mobile
phones
• Leading communications tool
among youth in developing
countries
• Send/receive information
instantly
• Reach youth anytime,
anywhere – even in areas with
no Internet
• Cheaper, more accessible than
Internet and landline phone
The Solution: Cell Phone Technology
That Enhances Enrolment, Retention, Transition
1.
2.
3.
Incoming Students: Recruitment/enrolment
updates Æ higher transition rates, higher gross
enrolment rates.
Current Students: Custom education/training
information. Contests/quizzes. Customized updates
Æ higher net enrolment, higher completion rates.
Graduating Students: Job Alerts, job searches Æ
improved employability outcomes.
Incoming Student Enrolment
• Outcome: Higher GER in secondary/post-secondary programs
(vocational and academic).
1) Community Outreach – Potential Students:
¾ SMS Database Registration
2) SMS Alerts and Info Updates:
¾ Enrolment updates: “New spots available
for girls age 12 – 13. Come to school bldg tomorrow to
register”.
¾ School fee payment updates: “Last date for school fee
payment is tomorrow. Please pay at your local bank
kiosk or school site”.
Current Student Retention
•
Outcome: Higher NER as access to information and resources
improves. Savings of staff time, resources.
1) SMS Curriculum Quizzes/Contests:
¾ “Win a prize by texting the correct answer to 37100: What
is 34 + 28 – 7 x 2?”
2) SMS Alerts: Send customized news, information direct to
student family phones at any time.
¾ Logistical updates: “School closed because of
flooding. Await msg with re-opening time”.
¾ Curricular reminders: “Reminder! Matric exams begin
tomorrow. Good luck to all students”.
School-to-Work Transitions: Job Matching
•
Outcome: 65% of new graduates finding jobs. New, enhanced
partnerships between tertiary institutions and private sector.
1) SMS
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JobMatch:
Students create SMS “mini-CVs”
Employers create SMS Job Ads
Students/Employers are matched
directly
Students/Employers can search
job/staff database from mobile phones or web
2) SMS Job Alerts:
¾ “To marketing students: 20 advertising jobs open at local
firm. Text “ok” to see full info”.
User Data at a Glance
•
•
West Bank/Gaza: 8,000 student users (Birzeit, AAUJ, Al-Quds, Najah);
150 employers per month
Somaliland: 1,200 student users (University of Hargeisa) , 4 large-scale
employer partners
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Key Partners – Institutions:
World Bank Group – Quality Improvement Fund
DAI Inc. – Employment Generation Program
TVET League of Palestine
Telesom – Somalia; Zain – Palestine
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Key Partners – Employers:
Deloitte – Palestine; Ernst & Young - Palestine; Dahabshiil - Somaliland
Yellow Pages – Palestine; Jumhuriyya Media Group - Somaliland
CARE International ; Palestinian Ministry of Finance
Performance M&E - Methods and Metrics:
•
M&E Approaches:
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•
Weekly database tracking of service use: searches, match requests, job
alerts
Monthly phone surveys of “matched” job-seekers and employers
Bi-annual “match retention” phone surveys; institutional partner
surveys
Results To Date:
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Avg. 40 youth matched with jobs/internships each month (approx. 500
youth matched per year).
Leading sectors: Sales/marketing; office support; IT; construction.
75% match retention past 3-month mark.
Youth: 75% reduction in job search length (unemployment proxy).
Employers: 50% reduction in hiring time and costs.
Universities: 200 – 300% increase in job listings available to students.
Benefits and Challenges
• Reported Advantages:
¾ Faster, better access to information
¾ Wider reach: connects scattered students
¾ Gender sensitive: custom opportunities, nonface-to-face contact
¾ Stronger links between institutions, employers,
and youth
¾ Savings of program staff time and resources
• Challenges:
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New solutions vs. traditional approaches
Institutional bureaucracy
Sensitivity re. data collection
Sustainability planning: funding, HR, relationship management
Souktel Inc.
Newark, DE
Ramallah, Palestine
Toronto, Canada
t: +970 2 297 8090
t: +1 416 782 1938
e: info@souktel.org
www.souktel.org