Facebook has introduced an enhanced version of its Jobs on Facebook portal, as well as a mentorship tool to help youth, professionals and entrepreneurs in South Africa access new career opportunities.
Government has described SA's youth unemployment as one of the most significant socio-economic challenges facing the country today.
The percentage of youth aged 15 to 34 who were not in employment, education or training increased from 38.3% to 39% in the third quarter of 2018, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey by Statistics SA. This increase, says Stats SA, shows South African youth are still vulnerable in the labour market.
In a statement, Facebook says introducing career resources falls in line with its commitment to training business owners across Africa and equipping people with the skills they need to thrive in the modern digital workplace.
Facebook's jobs portal has helped people find over a million jobs since its launch in 2017, according to the social media network.
The updated version will now allow businesses to share their jobs in groups, in addition to posting jobs to their page. This, says Facebook, will allow people who may be interested and qualified to better discover open roles.
In regards to the mentorship tool, it connects people in groups who are seeking mentorship with others in their community who have relevant experience or expertise.
"People can sign up to share information about what they're offering or looking for, and then others in the group can browse a list of those available people to find a match and reach out directly. Each week the tool gives pairs helpful prompts to keep the conversation going."
Emilar Gandhi, public policy manager for Facebook SADC region, adds: "Together with partners such as Livity and Digify, we are training thousands of people in Africa with the digital skills they need to compete in the modern workplace. With our updated career resources, we are furthering this commitment, helping people access new career opportunities and upgrade their digital skills."
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