MIT Solve

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Our Solution

Readyforwork

Our solution's stage of development:

Pre-Seed

Our solution:

Readyforwork is a web platform that equips entry-level job seekers and young/aspiring entrepreneurs with employability and entrepreneurial skills through access to mentors and personalized education and helps firms access right type candidates.

Our pitch:

In late 2013, while a student at Radford University, I read an article from a news source which reported that about 66,000 young people are graduated every year in Ghana but only about 3% are integrated into formal employment within one year. I, therefore, established Stars From All Nations (SFAN) to provide the almost non-existent education to employment and entrepreneurship pipeline

To accomplish this, we pioneered two event series for entry level job seekers and young/aspiring entrepreneurs: Quantum Leap Career Fair and Future Executives Business Breakfast Meeting.

In 2016 after an evaluation of these event series hosting over 200,000 people in +15 countries, and creating over 150 business opportunities and over 20 job opportunities, we realised that although the events have been fabulous, there’s still a disconnect resulting from a gap between education and industry requirements, lack of opportunities for support services and lack of new networks of business enterprises. Hence, we are developing readyforwork.co as a lasting solution to these problems.

Readyforwork capitalizes on machine learning to deliver tailored education and training to entry-level job seekers and young/aspiring entrepreneurs. It leverages algorithm-based skills and personality assessment tool to design personalized training modules for the target audience which can be accessed with or without the internet.

To access the services, a user subscribes on the platform, takes the initial industry-specific skills assessment and then readyforwork does the analyses and suggests a customized training module for the user based on their skills ranking. The payment is deducted from their wallet or payment card.

It also leverages job descriptions of companies to match them to perfect candidates as well as connects candidates to mentors and other learners.

Our goal is to equip 1 million youths with entrepreneurial and employability skills by 2020.

The problem:

The problem my solution solves is youth unemployment and under-education.

Why our solution will solve the problem:

We know Readyforwork will work because it provides a personalized education to candidates. Although there are other education and recruitment platforms in existence, a lot of these platforms still operate a one-size-fits-all process, making it difficult for candidates to figure out how to choose what really addresses their need. Readyforwork gives you access to the best MOOC courses on the internet to improve your areas of deficiency. Also, It has a proven job matching and recruitment feature that helps firms cut down their recruitment exercise by over 80%.

Who recommended you to Solve - or - how did you find Solve?

I saw a post on Facebook

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The technologies we employ:

Digital systems (machine learning, control systems, big data)

Why our solution is unique:

Unlike other training and recruitment platforms, Readyforwork.co offers industry specific self-assessment and personality test to entry-level job seekers with suggested courses tailored specifically to candidate’s needs. Candidates can access this service with or without the internet thereby making education accessible anywhere, anytime.

It also helps entrepreneurs connect to mentors and test product-market-fit before launching out.

Why our solution is human-centered:

Readyforwork is being designed to make open sourced education a reality for everyone, anywhere and anytime. It banks on the experiences of the average Ghanaian student to design a technology that answers to basic questions: job or business readiness, access to job opportunities and mentors. It makes this solution both affordable and accessible in an environment where access to the internet is often a big deal.

How people will access our solution:

We plan to use mobile technology and innovative learning strategies to connect and support youths in their career or business endeavors, ensuring that every young person reaches his or her potentials. This process as mentioned earlier can be accessed either via web or SMS at a very minimal subscription charge of $5. The user subscribes to the platform via SMS or web and takes the initial assessment. Readyforwork does the computation and recommends personalized courses and tools on areas of deficiency. The user can track her process through exercises, connect with other learners and mentors.

Technology-Readiness Level:

4-5 (Prototyping)

Our website

http://www.sfanonline.org

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