Ethiopia’s first online Career Expo is coming to the capital. In the partnership between Jobs Creation Commission and Dereja.com, a subsidiary of Info Mind Solutions Plc., and funding from Mastercard Foundation the expo is planned to replace the originally organized physical version. It was forced to change the medium and go virtual as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We had to adjust the original plan of staging a physical career expo in Addis Abeba and throughout the region to a virtual event on an online platform to avoid physical contact because of COVID-19. The Virtual Career Expo, the first of its kind in Ethiopia, will go a long way in connecting graduates with employers from all sectors, be able to network and attend informative webinars led by industry experts.” said Siham Ayele, Project Manager of Dereja.com.
Dereja is a hub where employers and graduates connect and the virtual expo aims to bring approximately 5000 graduates from 10 Public Universities with estimated 100 organizations that are potential employers presenting employment opportunities. In addition, the gathering will offer video interviews, chat online and network with interested parties.
Dereja held its first career expo in 2018 and helped more than 6,000 graduates find jobs as well facilitated trainingsfor 25,000 youth with “employability skills” in all regions of the country.
Mastercard Foundation, through its Young Africa Works program has a growing involvement in Ethiopia by helping the process of the much-needed employment opportunities in the nation.
Mastercard Foundation based in Toronto is known for helping emerging nations create jobs and offer generous scholarships for young African youth.
The Ethiopian Jobs Creation Commission, as the leading and coordinating body of the Jobs agenda of the country, plans to create three million jobs this year, 14 million by 2025 and 20 million by 2030.
“We believe the partnership forged between Jobs Creations Commission, Mastercard Foundation and Dereja.com, will benefit the youth of our country greatly in getting decent and sustainable job opportunities. In line with this, such events serve as a very fertile ground for both employers and potential employees because it draws a large number of participants from both sides.
The fact that it is done virtually this year also changes the momentum and gives more opportunity for participants who wouldn’t have joined physically otherwise because of logistics, said Dagmawi Kebede Manager of Data Analytics & Systems at the Jobs Creation Commission.