Fourth round of Youth Career Trail kicks off in Armenia

YEREVAN, September 18. / ARKA /. Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, and Harout Nercessian, Armenia Representative of Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA), have signed today a cost-sharing agreement to kick-off the fourth round of the Youth Carrier Trail (YCT) project, UNDP said in a press release.

It said the main objective of the project is to facilitate the transition of unemployed youth into the workforce by the provision of direct employment opportunities through internships. The duration of the paid internship is six months, and UNDP Armenia, in cooperation with the host organizations, will be responsible for recruiting and placing 60 interns on a competitive basis. 

The AMAA is a cosponsor of this round of the YCT because it believes that youth employment in Armenia is a major step in preserving and expanding the economy and social fabric of the Armenian society.  The AMAA is a non-profit organization that supports underprivileged people in 24 countries.  The AMAA was established in 1918 in the U.S.A. 

“The AMAA and UNDP have developed a working relationship over the last two years as they share common concerns regarding the economic conditions in Armenia. Both organizations are concerned about youth unemployment which has resulted in the exodus of youth from Armenia.  This YCT program will help keep youth in Armenia.  AMAA and UNDP are exploring other areas of cooperation,” noted Harout Nercessian.

“The main outcome of our partnership is the provision of targeted response to employment challenges the youth is facing in Armenia. Our experience in this field makes us a partner of choice to support the long-term nature of youth capacity development,” said Dafina Gercheva in her opening remarks.

YCT is a paid internship program, which offers young professionals an opportunity to be involved for the first time in employment relevant to their education, and to gain valuable work experience and practical knowledge to become more competitive in their access to the labor market. It provides educated but unemployed youth (fresh graduates) with a first paid career-related work experience to prepare and position them for future employment. 

During 2007-2009, UNDP Armenia implemented 3 rounds of the YCT initiative, which turned to be popular and of high demand among both the university graduates and employers. In total, 118 fresh graduates passed the YCT internship in Yerevan and 6 regions of Armenia and around 50 percent of the interns were offered permanent employment by the host organizations at the end of their internships. -0-