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Valentina
Valentina
A training, certification and job placement program increasing incomes and opportunities for Latin America’s unemployed youth.
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.