The Workshop (Akoo)

Skills training and workshop for Iraqi youth

Location: Erbil, Iraq

Host: Oxfam Iraq

Invested: $43,000

Needed: $40,000

Unemployment rates for youth members are increasing the need for a job portal to access opportunities.

The Challenge

In Iraq, has a thriving young person demographic. The median average age is 21 years old - nearly 20% of the population is considered youth. However, much of the youth population is unemployed, and many lack the skills necessary to increase their employment opportunities. Many attribute the gap in this skill development to the weak education system which isn’t meeting the training requirements necessary for the market. In line with this challenge, Iraqi youth struggle with the skills and access to find and apply to new jobs.

The Solution

The Workshop is a multipurpose online platform to support young people in Iraq in developing their interpersonal and work-related skills, then matching them with potential job opportunities in the labor market, The matching is done by providing specific training in CV writing and interviews. Then the participants - based on their skills - are connected to businesses and the local market. Additionally, the platform is a portal for local businesses to announce job openings and job seekers to go and search for opportunities.