Ghada Abdel-Kader unveils the fine points of the latest employment project for the country's youth To middle-class college student Mustafa Nasr, finding a job is no walk in the park. "Once you find a job," Nasr said, "you cannot afford but to stick to it regardless of its nature, or whether you like it or not. Inflation is making life very difficult." With government salaries being what they are, Nasr said, young people know that their prospects are almost non-existent. Finding a job has become a real dilemma for many young Egyptians, who now make up almost 35 per cent of the Egyptian population of 73 million. According to the 2006 census, the unemployment rate among youth grew from 8.9 per cent in 1996 to 10,6 per cent in 2006. This despite the fact that it has been the government's policy to focus on encouraging the private sector to have an input in creating job opportunities to absorb such an escalating job demand. "Door to Door" is a training and recruitment project targeting Egyptian youth up to their late 20s. It is implemented by the National Youth Council in cooperation with private sector player Mobinil Company for Mobile Phone Services. The project aims at enhancing young applicants' sales skills by offering various training programmes, as well as providing job opportunities all in the span of a few weeks. For the first time in Egypt, the registration process is being carried out by the National Council for Youth, not through media advertisements. The rationale behind implementing the application process in the country's youth centres is to ensure that young people in Egypt's different governorates receive an equal opportunity to apply for the jobs. Wessam Farouk, representative of the National Youth Council, told Al-Ahram Weekly that the project is the brainchild of chairman and CEO of conglomerate Orascom, Naguib Sawiris, who is also a member of the National Youth Council. Sawiris presented the idea to Chairman of the National Youth Council Safieddin Kharboush and it was approved. The project, which began last year, has so far succeeded in training 1,320 young people in sales skills, out of which 550 received job placements that they have kept till now. Door to Door also welcomes applicants with special needs. Mohamed Ismail, supervisor of the project, explained that Door to Door has toured all Egyptian governorates. "The application form is quite simple, printed in Arabic and English. Applicants are asked their age, previous work experience, education and residence address. We choose the people according to vacant posts and keep the rest of the application forms for future projects," Ismail told the Weekly. Moreover, Door to Door does not require a college degree, to complete an intermediate education will be enough since the jobs on offer need only the sales skills acquired through the project's training programme. Ashraf Shehata, a young man in the lower middle class bracket, has been manufacturing and selling chandeliers for 12 years. Now, being a father of two and the sole bread winner of his family, he works in several chandelier shops, but his combined income does not cover his expenses. Shehata applied for a place in Door to Door and, through the project, he soon learned how to enhance his sales skills. "I have learned how to cater to the customer's needs instead of just selling whatever merchandise I have. I have also learned how to finalise a sale if the customer is hesitant," boasted Shehata, who has completed his training and is now ready to take on his new job as a salesperson. On another level, for Ahmed Ibrahim, a sophomore student at Ain Shams' Faculty of Alson, the reason for his application was quite simple, "I applied so that I can be guaranteed a job after graduation." "Door to Door was first approved back in 2006," remembers Mohamed Ali, Door to Door's project manager. "The project benefits everyone. Large numbers of young people have gained many new experiences, either by taking training courses or by working with us. They have acquired vocational training that will help them to work. And if they like the job, they are free to continue doing it." Meanwhile, Ali said that almost any young person within the specified age bracket can apply for these jobs. The advantage is that no specialisations, qualifications or degrees are required. "These jobs on offer mainly depend on selling skills. This craftsmanship is gained by experience and by dealing with clients. Our employees receive, therefore, continuous training to promote their skills," he said. Young employees are granted a three-month probation contract that is automatically changed into an annual contract if the employee chooses to continue in the job. The positions offer insurance, fair conditions and commitments that guarantee the employees' rights, including medical insurance. Hani Abdel-Wahab, operations manager in an advertising company, assured that his company accepts young people without any conditions. After completing their training of these young people through Door to Door, they offer them another month of field training and then they are started off on their jobs. At the end of this year, Farouk said that the council is going to analyse the results from the 27 governorates. They will have accurate statistics for the number of young people who have been trained and who have received jobs throughout the country. Striking figures * The estimate of the total labour force in Egypt ageing from 15 to 64 in 2006 amounted to 22,878,100 people, out of which 5,892,400 are illiterate, 7,498,700 completed their intermediate education, and 3,759,800 attained their college degree. * The estimated number of employed Egyptians from 15 to 64 years old in 2006 amounted to 20,443,700 people out of which 5,851,700 are illiterate, 6,019,000 completed their intermediate education and 3,106,300 attained their college degree. * The estimated number of unemployed Egyptians from 15 to 64 years of age in 2006 amounted to 2,434,300 where 44,000 are illiterate, 1,479,300 have completed their intermediate education and 653,500 attained their college degree. * The unemployment rate among young Egyptians in 2006 fell between 505,700 age group 15 years old, 556,800 age 25, while 213,700 the age of 30. * The contribution of approximately 73 million Egyptians to the total GDP is 31.8 per cent. source: Central Agency For Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS)
