Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN), a world leader in the employment services industry, announced today that it has entered into a partnership with Silatech to bring job creation, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to young adults in 22 countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Under the agreement, Manpower will leverage its global expertise to help Silatech deliver demand-driven and market-oriented skills training and job-placement services to young people across the region.
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Silatech was officially launched in June to address the critical and growing need to create jobs and economic opportunities for young people. The initiative promotes large-scale job creation, entrepreneurship and access to capital and markets for young people, starting first in the Arab world, where the highest rate of youth unemployment exists. Silatech was founded by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned with broad support from other regional and international leaders, governments and organizations. The partnership aims to offset social marginalization and lack of economic opportunity among the region's young people by enabling systemic changes in enterprise development, employment practices, policy and access for youth.
"This joint venture is the first of its kind, representing a tremendous opportunity for Manpower," said David Arkless, Manpower's President of Corporate and Government Affairs. "The youth population bulge in the Middle East and North Africa presents an immediate employment challenge and the need for long-term, sustainable economic development in the region. The combination of Manpower and Silatech, with the support of the highest levels of government, will accelerate the ability to develop effective solutions."
Under a memorandum of understanding signed in Davos yesterday, Manpower and Silatech established a one-year framework to exchange experience and practices through piloting innovative programs for young people. The pilot programs will draw on Manpower's global expertise, including the engagement of employers and measurement of employer needs, candidate assessment and training, job-readiness/soft skill initiatives, the creation of effective workforce development partner linkages and capacity-building among service partners.
Following the pilot, Manpower and Silatech will engage in a multi-year joint venture for on-the-ground service delivery across the region. It is hoped that over the long term, the initiative will increase the transparency of local labor markets and employment practices, helping young people overcome cultural as well as skills barriers to employment and entrepreneurship.
Rick Little, CEO of Silatech, said the partnership represents a formidable opportunity for young people and the region. "This innovative agreement leverages Manpower's 60 years of global labor market expertise to connect young people to meaningful, decent and sustainable work. Working together, Manpower and Silatech, along with other partners across the Middle East and North Africa, can help to unlock the region's economic potential and provide lasting opportunity for the next generation."
About Manpower Inc.
Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in the employment services industry; creating and delivering services that enable its clients to win in the changing world of work. The $21 billion company offers employers a range of services for the entire employment and business cycle including permanent, temporary and contract recruitment; employee assessment and selection; training; outplacement; outsourcing and consulting. Manpower's worldwide network of 4,500 offices in 80 countries and territories enables the company to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year, including small and medium size enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the world's largest multinational corporations. The focus of Manpower's work is on raising productivity through improved quality, efficiency and cost-reduction across their total workforce, enabling clients to concentrate on their core business activities. Manpower Inc. operates under five brands: Manpower, Manpower Professional, Elan, Jefferson Wells and Right Management. More information on Manpower Inc. is available at www.manpower.com.
About Silatech
Silatech is a social enterprise, based in Qatar, mobilizing global, large-scale investments and thought leadership support for youth employment and enterprise development. Through strategic partnerships, Silatech aggregates resources and expertise to create results beyond the capability of any single actor. Silatech advocates for increased and new forms of investment by partners - donors, investors, capital markets, corporations, financial institutions, governments and non-governmental organizations - to develop customized strategies that create jobs and economic opportunities for young people. Silatech facilitates a network of leading researchers, practitioners and institutions to serve as a focal point of scholarship, action-oriented research and regional and global best practices to support youth employment in the Arab world. And Silatech works with leading technology companies and content providers to harness "youth-friendly" information and communication technologies to develop skills and links to financial and business development services, coaching and job placement opportunities.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: marcelline.pelzer@manpower.com
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SOURCE: Manpower Inc.
CONTACT: Marci Pelzer of Manpower Inc., +1-414-906-7670, cell,
+1-414-687-8441, marcelline.pelzer@manpower.com
Web Site: http://www.manpower.com/
