Project profile — Technology Enabled Careers Harnessing Untapped Potential

This project aims to engage women and youth in technology-enabled careers in the West Bank and Gaza. This is done by addressing key barriers to their employment, connecting them with employment opportunities, and assisting them in creating sustainable employment opportunities for themselves by facilitating the growth of viable start-ups. The project directly addresses the myriad challenges facing new entrepreneurs and tech-enabled workers. Project activities include: (1) developing a local career-counselling guide for technology-enabled careers as an alternative to traditional employment; (2) training female and male youth through courses, apprenticeships and internships in the technical skills demanded by employers; (3) running an apprenticeship programme for small groups of online freelancers; (4) mentoring sessions for young women entrepreneurs, linking them with successful international or local businesswomen; and (5) incubating and/or accelerating start-ups, including helping them validate and refine their products/service offerings and business plans. The project is implemented by Mercy Corps.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) reduced barriers to entrepreneurship, employment and/or employability faced by women and youth; (2) improved technical skills for women and youth; (3) improved ability of women and youth to earn income through tech-enabled employment; (4) increased targeted support for young women entrepreneurs; and (5) increased access for women and youth entrepreneurs to resources necessary to create a viable start-up.

Results achieved at the end of the project (July 2024) include: (1) 88% of participants (1,387 of 1,584) reported reduced barriers to entrepreneurship, employment and/or employability; (2) 87% of female participants reported increased confidence in their ability to pursue a career in technology; (3) 87% of participants reported increased opportunities to generate income as a result of their participation in the project; (4) 74% of graduates of the technology education program (53/72) continued to earn an average monthly income of at least US$300 six months after graduation; (5) 57% of Freelance Academy graduates (438/773) earned an average monthly income of at least US$300 six months after completing the program, while 581 graduates (293 women and 288 men), representing 62% of participants tracked, continued to generate at least US$300 per month one year after graduation. The average monthly income reported reached US$700 (US$588 for women and US$826 for men); and (6) 92% of women participating in the Freelance Academy reported that freelancing provided the flexibility to earn an income while managing family obligations, demonstrating the potential of technology-enabled employment to create accessible and flexible economic opportunities for women.