The lack of structural support for young people to develop their personal and professional skillsets, the lack of awareness about school to work transition and many more reasons has left young people jobless without hope. The birth of Dereja came from that essence and I happened to be a young person passionate about job creation. I am ready to share what I have gained across various professional platforms and at the same time create a sustainable support system for young people in advancing their careers.

In Ethiopia, where almost 70% of its population is below the age of 30, the importance of working on youth empowerment is unquestionable. Precisely, Dereja.com is working on youths in the University and TVET institutions to unleash their potential to the best level. As Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, once said “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. Dereja.com has helped me in creating a platform where I am living my passion in life, i.e. serving the young people of the nation, with all my effort. Here at Dereja.com, I am not just working, but I’m living my passion.

If the services delivered by Dereja.com were available in my time I would’ve been exposed to platforms that would support the early discovery of my potential. I would’ve discovered my skills and have worked on the necessary elements of my passion career. The services provided by Dereja.com provide the opportunity university graduates to assess their skills, discover their strength and create linkage with employers for job opportunities. Dereja.com initiatives provide insights for our youth to find their next step and prepare for fulfilling career paths.

Graduates do not posses the necessary skills to compete and standout amongst the sea of candidates, we at Dereja.com are here to train these students so that they may have a fighting chance in the job market. As for the Dereja.com team greater things are to come.

In a country where there is no single body that works on employability skills, Dereja.com is striving to fill the gap and equip graduates with the necessary skills, knowledge and tools to be competent in the job market. I believe Dereja.com is contributing a lot in addressing the youth employability problem in Ethiopia and produced a profound impact on the life of many.

The biggest issue that young people face today is understanding the gap between and employers needs and a candidates skillsets. Being part of the Dereja.com team is a great pleasure, as we continuously give our full effort to solve the huge unemployment gap.

As part of the Dereja.com team I get to make an impact on the young people of the nation. As a soon to be graduate of St. Mary’s University I am faced with that one earth shattering question all graduates face “What’s next?”. Dereja.com helped me understand the best ways for me to take that next step in life and properly utilize my skills. Now I’m even given a platform to bestow some of that wisdom onto my peers. We at Dereja.com are dedicated to the advancement of the young people of our nation and with the support of Mastercard Foundation we will continue to fight the good fight.