EOH Work Readiness Initiative - Narrative Reports 2014 - 2015 Aug. 2014 | Page 7

INTERIM NARRATIVE REPORT FROM EOH DIGITAL JOBS AFRICA8 FAST FACTS ▲▲ Initiated by −− The Rockefeller Foundation ▲▲ Beneficiaries AUGUST 2014 WHAT ARE DIGITAL JOBS? Digital jobs use technology to produce information Digital jobs are a specific set of occupations which: ▲▲ produce information, rather than physical objects or physical services −− High potential, disadvantaged youth across six African countries ▲▲ use tools such as computers, smart phones, tablets, networks and the internet −− Their families and communities ▲▲ benefit from the levelling effect of technology and the internet to be able to be offered to a global customer base at low cost across great distances and from remote or rural locations −− Employers and the wider enabling environment linked to these youth ▲▲ Time-span −− 7 years −− Announced May 2013 ▲▲ Budget −− Almost US$100 million ▲▲ Scale of impact: −− 1,000,000 people ▲▲ Nature of impact: −− Generate social and economic benefits for youth, their families, and their communities −− Increase demand for African youth in the workforce ▲▲ Link to business process outsourcing: −− Built on a more responsible and sustainable approach to business process outsourcing (impact sourcing) ▲▲ Three outcomes: −− Connecting high potential, disadvantaged youth to employment opportunities in the digital economy −− Encouraging and enabling employers to incorporate inclusive business practices into their business models beyond corporate social responsibility −− Scaling the environment for digital jobs and making it a self-sustainable by co-ordinating government and business efforts ▲▲ exist in almost every sector of the economy, and are often at the cutting edge of development in those sectors ▲▲ are in demand in the formal employment sector, and therefore provide higher than average wages and better long-term job stability ▲▲ develop transferable skills sets in both technical (end-user computing, internet literacy, database operation) and non-technical (problem solving, customer service, reporting) areas. These skills sets: −− have come to underpin almost all modern occupations, and therefore assist work seekers in horizontal and vertical career progression −− are equally valuable at the level of an entrepreneur, micro-business, or a large enterprise WHY ARE DIGITAL JOBS RELEVANT TO AFRICA? Digital jobs can catalyse economic growth9 and empower disadvantaged individuals, their families and their communities. No where in the world is this a more serious priority than in Africa, where 80% of the population lives below the poverty line, and half of the population are younger than twenty, making it the world’s youngest continental population. Most of these youth are unemployed, although the level of employment varies considerably by country. While many factors inhibit Africa’s potential for success, it has an advantage in certain ICT indicators which make digital jobs a potentially favourable area for growing secure livelihoods. For example, Africa is investing in ICT technology, especially in the area of broadband connectivity and mobile technology. It is now connected by eight undersea fibre optic cables to the global internet backbone, at a 8 A summary of the Digital Jobs Africa initiative follows, for a detailed background see Harji, K. and Best , H. Digital Jobs: Building Skills for the Future (2013) 9 Various research including for example the University of Leuven discussion paper, “High Technology Employment in the European Union” (2013). “High technology” occupations in this report include technicians (not just engineers). Background 7