Workforce Development

There are two million youth in Colombia who lack access to education or work. FAVLA, the Texmodas Foundation, the corporate unit of social responsibility of Texmodas SA, and the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá, an organization that represents the city’s private sector, identified the need to partner, design, and implement a project of customized training to meet market demand for fashion retail and job placement for at-risk youth in Bogotá. The project provides income-generating opportunities for youth within this sector.

Project Objectives

To develop the skills of the company’s current employees so that they change their attitudes toward the corporate responsibility program
To provide a customized technical training and socio-emotional and employability skills to youth living in Bogotá
To foster economic opportunities for at-risk youth in Bogotá through job placement
To strengthen private sector partnerships working on market-demanded skills and youth opportunities

Project Activities & Approaches

Based on ACDI/VOCA’s DecidoSer methodology, we designed a training program for the management team. We are conducting workshops in Bogotá and Medellin to build skills that will allow them to be more inclusive as a company.
Outreach activists and selection processes to choose the participants for the project (at-risk youth from diverse communities between the ages of 18 and 28).
Tailored technical training on market-demanded skills for fashion retail and soft (employability) skills training as well as psychosocial work plan for the project participants, based on ACDI/VOCA’s DecidoSer methodology.
Management of alliances with companies, particularly Texmodas Brands, to provide job placement for project youngsters

Anticipated Project Results

A Texmodas’ workforce who have acknowledged the benefits of the project and who are working toward hiring best practices to promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace
200 youth living in Medellin and Bogotá that have received a technical degree in merchandising and sales and who have completed apprenticeships/internships within companies (achieved)
200 youth living in Bogotá that have strengthened their socio-emotional and employability skills (achieved)
Over 20 companies who have acknowledged the benefits of the project and who are working toward hiring best practices to promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace
Over 10 companies of the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá who have hired participants of the project

Funder: Texmodas & Bogotá Chamber of Commerce

Project Director: Carolina Blackburn, CBlackburn@acdivoca-la.org