A young person today has many challenges in front of them, including access to upskilling, education and the opportunity to be both prepared and part of the workforce of the future.
PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2023 shows that despite recessionary worries and rising unemployment in some regions, 26% of all respondents say they are likely to change jobs in the next 12 months (up from 19% in our 2022 survey). The number is higher for younger employees, with 35% of gen Z and 31% of millennial respondents planning to change jobs.
In Brazil, according to Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios Contínua (PNAD), the unemployment rate among those aged 18 to 24 increased to 18% in the 1st quarter of 2023, an increase of 1.6 percentage points compared to the 4th quarter of 20221.
The global community is facing a critical issue of youth unemployment which, if left unaddressed, will impact future economic and social stability. Identifying skills and keeping pace is not easy and requires many parts of society to convene and work together to address the barriers. ‘Reaching YES: Addressing the youth employment and skilling challenge, a report published by PwC and UNICEF, in support of Generation Unlimited, outlines the need for governments and business to come together and address the skills opportunity gaps.
In 2021, PwC Brazil launched a new corporate volunteer programme, Access Your PotentialOpens in a new window (AYP), with an aim to upskill young people aged 16-26, from across the country. AYP runs twice a year, under which 250 young mentees are mentored by 250 people from PwC Brazil (volunteers / mentors) over an eight week period. The focus of the programme is on providing a digitally inclusive platform to upskill the next generation so that they are better prepared to enter the labour market. The initiative is part of PwC’s global programme, New world. New skillsOpens in a new window, that is underpinned by the belief that everyone should be able to live, learn, work and participate in the digital world.
“AYP's objective and challenge is to work with these young people, seeking to develop the digital skills needed to enter the labour market. Therefore, digital is our central focus when it comes to volunteering”
To deliver these programmes, PwC Brazil has joined forces with an educational institution which made nano courses available to students during the programme. Students apply through multiple channels such as social media, website, press and stakeholder networks. Applicants must be aged 18-26 to apply and meet specific eligibility criteria.
During the two month period, a cohort of 250 students receive:
The mentoring dynamic consists of conversations and guidance on topics such as self-knowledge, career development, education and professions, technical and behavioural skills, personal marketing, preparation for interviews, networking, time management, mental and physical health and financial literacy. PwC Brazil volunteer mentors also go through training prior to being matched with a mentee to ensure they have the right tools and support to make the experience positive.
The online training and nano courses focus on building digital skills such as technological solutions, leadership and skills development, design thinking and data analysis. These courses are delivered virtually, with webinars facilitated by PwC Brazil, aiming to equip students with a balanced mix of soft and hard skills.
Upon completion of the program, a select group of young individuals will have the opportunity to receive scholarships. This will enable them to further their education with the educational institution that PwC Brazil has collaborated with for this program.
Since the launch in 2021 PwC Brazil has delivered this programme to more than 700 young people across the country of which 67% participation is by female students. The programme has also delivered:
“At the end of Access, I would like to thank you. Thank you very much for looking back - because I believe that's what it is - looking back and seeing your origins, seeing that we are also at that origin and are starting our career”.
“The meetings were basically about breaking the ice and understanding a little better who the two participants really are and what they wanted to achieve”.
1 Pnad (PDF)Opens in a new window 2030.
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