Valentina
A training, certification and job placement program increasing incomes and opportunities for Latin America’s unemployed youth
- Company
- Workforce
- Latin America
- 2019
- Active
The challenge
In Latin America, almost one third of young people between the ages of 15 and 29 are unemployed – a rate three times that of adults in the region – largely due to a lack of requisite skills.
The innovation
Valentina offers unemployed youth six-week trainings in technical and soft skills that are in immediate demand in the labor market – from Powerpoint proficiency to teamwork. The company’s pay-it-forward model is risk-free for students who pay for the training only if and when Valentina successfully places them in entry-level jobs. Valentina runs training centers in Guatemala, with plans to expand across Latin America.
The impact
Valentina has increased students’ incomes by an average of 41%. The company has trained 629 students to date, with a goal of reaching at least 3,900 students by 2022.