Context: The pre-professional stage is a crucial time for youth to reconcile theory and practice in preparation for entering the labour market; it is for this reason that practical work experiences for students are an important addition to their academic training.
In Mozambique, according to INE data, there are about 300,000 young people seeking employment each year, meaning many youth are seeking entry-level positions, such as internships. Although the demand for such programs is high, few entry-level opportunities for placement in the formal labour market exist, and information about available internships is not easily accessible. In recognizing this gap ESTÁGIOS Portal was created with the aim of providing a platform to connect internship seekers with companies seeking to provide employment opportunities for youth.
Implementation of programme/ initiative:
- This initiative was launched in 2016 by Mozambique’s National Union of Students (UNE), an association composed of student organizations from all fields within the Mozambican education system.
- The aim of the ESTÁGIOS Portal is to facilitate greater youth employment by providing a platform where companies can broadcast employment opportunities and youth can easily access such information
- Additionally, the ESTÁGIOS Portal collects and categorizes information on both companies seeking to hire as well as the youth candidates seeking such opportunities, in order to assist employers and youth in finding suitable opportunities
- The ESTÁGIOS Portal is a private initiative primarily funded by its own funds and NGO financial assistance
Objectives:
- Reduce waiting time in the transition from school to the labour market by providing information for work placements and job opportunities
- Provide work experience to students and recent graduates
- Uncover the potential of newly graduated students and youth in general through providing training opportunities and facilitating their recruitment into the labour market
- To provide trainees with relevant information and skills needed for their academic background/respective fields
Main challenges: The main challenge faced by the ESTÁGIOS Portal project has been convincing companies and institutions to share their employment opportunities on the platform; some have been understandably hesitant to the project’s newness. Another challenge is the need to ensure the project’s sustainability in terms of handling the costs of hosting the platform and ensuring its constant updating and reliability.
Results achieved: As of March 2017, the portal had a total of 6,000 registered members, seeking opportunities in various fields of Mozambique’s market. To date, about 400 companies have registered on the platform and regularly disseminate information regarding their available internships and / or employment opportunities.
Registered applicants are twice as likely to be seen and called for internship opportunities compared to those not on the platform, as a result of their academic and work experience being more easily accessible to registered companies. Registered companies benefit as well, as the platform assists employers find more suitable candidates faster, lowering costs of recruitment.
Moving Forward: The ESTÁGIOS Portal project is now working towards increasing the platform’s outreach; a number of activities have been planned, including holding job fairs and collaborating with various schools, universities, potential employers and NGOs to strengthen the opportunities of the portal.
Replicability: Implementing this project requires targeting youth who are seeking work experience and companies seeking to offer temporary or fulltime positions to youth. Being that the platform is an online service, replicating the program requires online connectivity. Publicity and outreach are also crucial components to the success of this type of venture.
References:
- UNE annual reports
- National Youth council and Ministry of Youth and Sports database.
- www.estagios.co.mz
Project Details
Date: November 20, 2017