Entering the workplace as a young adult isn’t easy. Seeking out a good job that offers a meaningful and fulfilling career path can be stressful and trying, regardless of location or career track. Youth employment and employability are important globally, and the Alliance 4 YOUth organization has been helping young people from around the world gain meaningful work experience, internships and the skill sets they need to make the transition since 2014. With a strong foothold in Europe, the Alliance 4 YOUth, which Nielsen is a global partner in, recently launched with great success in the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP), significantly broadening the organization’s reach and impact.
The formal launch, on Feb. 11, 2017, took place at the American University of Dubai, and involved Nielsen, other partner companies of the alliance and 150 young people from an array of the region’s universities.
Arslan Ashraf, Managing Director of the Arabian Peninsula and Pakistan cluster at Nielsen, was on hand at the event to sign the pledge for Alliance 4 YOUth in the Middle East. Other Alliance 4 YOUth partner companies and organizations in attendance included UAE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Moebi Logistics, LinkedIn, L’Oreal, HR Access, Emaar, Engie, Publicis and the American University of Dubai.
During the event, a panel discussed wide ranging topics around youth unemployment in the region, how the Alliance aims to reduce youth unemployment, as well as career advice to the young people in attendance that included workshops such as resume clinics facilitated by Nielsen, LinkedIn and L’Oreal. Students enjoy these events because they focus on providing advice to students about their resumes, how to present themselves in interviews and offering other tips and tricks that enhance their overall employability.
Initiated in 2014 by Nestlé, the Alliance 4 YOUth is a business-driven initiative to promote youth employment by helping young people gain experience and employability through jobs and training opportunities, as well as through education. The organization’s partner companies also mobilize their employees to engage with the community and help young people prepare for work by offering practical advice, resume clinics and interview preparation.
