The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) is developing a digital platform to connect trained artisans with households and businesses seeking their services, as the government-backed agency seeks to improve job opportunities for young people beyond temporary placements.
The application, called JobConnectz, is designed to match customers with skilled workers, including plumbers, barbers, mechanics and carpenters, according to YEA Chief Executive Officer Malik Bassintale, who outlined the initiative at the Government Accountability Series.
The platform is intended to help young people translate vocational training into income by giving customers a way to find workers with relevant skills. The agency has not disclosed a launch date, projected number of users, transaction model or revenue arrangements for the platform.
The initiative addresses a challenge facing employment programmes that provide skills training but may not automatically connect graduates with paying customers. By creating a digital marketplace for services, the YEA aims to improve the link between training and demand for practical work.
Basintale said the application had been developed through a strategic partnership. He did not identify the partner in the address or provide details on how workers will be verified, how service quality will be monitored or what protections will apply when disputes arise between customers and artisans.
The platform forms part of the agency’s wider employment effort. The YEA recorded 100,628 beneficiaries by Sept. 30, against an annual recruitment target of 133,000, representing 75.7% of its goal, Basintale said.
The agency also runs a Trades and Vocations programme covering skills such as carpentry and welding and provides start-up tools to support self-employment. The CEO reported 51,900 beneficiaries under the module, although the figures presented in the address contain an inconsistency. The stated annual target is given as 30,000 in one section and 60,000 elsewhere.
JobConnectz’s impact will depend on whether it can attract enough customers to generate regular work for participating artisans, particularly outside major urban centres. The agency has not published targets for completed jobs, earnings or repeat customers that would allow its performance to be assessed beyond registrations and enrolment.
