Lifeskills and employability for youth in Ecuador

Youth employability in Ecuador has complex obstacles, among the most common reasons why a young Ecuadorian does not get a job are age, work experience, level of academic instruction, gender and even their disabilities. Fifty-one percent of young Ecuadorians had their first job in a different field than the one for which they were trained.

Our professional training schools are training courses aimed at young people at risk of social exclusion, which aim to strengthen adaptation, relationship, confidence, self-esteem, creativity and assertive decision making skills. In addition, they are based on the "learning by doing" methodology and this allows for a more realistic notion of the application of the profile in a labor field. The pre-professional internships, one of the most significant learning elements, allow young people to discover their affinity for a trade from their own experience in a real work environment.

Ricardo is 22 years old, was born in Pisulí and lives there with his 5 siblings and parents. When he was 7 years old, a dog attack marked his life, leaving him with slight speech difficulties (stuttering). He is one of our graduates from the School of Gastronomy and did his internship in one of the most important Italian restaurants in Quito.

"I had the opportunity to practice at the Via Parténope restaurant, a renowned Italian cuisine restaurant, where I learned to make pasta, lasagna, sauces and salads. That's how I discovered my true passion".

A few months ago, he agreed to represent Fundación Sembrar in the 'E-Chef' culinary competition and this is the third consecutive time that a young graduate of our schools has won first prize.

"I was very happy to present a traditional food that is not only from Ecuador, but is also a heritage of my family. The concept I used wanted to pay homage to my grandmother, who has been selling typical dishes for 25 years. When I was a child, I remember we used to go out to sell with a wheelbarrow. When they told me that I won I almost cried and seeing that my family and Fundación Sembrar were there supporting me until the end, made me feel very happy".

Currently, Ricardo has been selected to run the Sembrar kitchen service, which serves lunch daily to 30 children and will be part of a gastronomic venture that will allow him and other young people to develop their entrepreneurial skills.  

"I feel very happy to be able to serve 25 children, for them to taste my seasoning and everything I prepare here. Actually, it is an opportunity to learn more things. When I finished school, I agreed to be part of Fundación Sembrar's gastronomic venture that will produce and sell products such as coffee breaks, desserts and snacks to companies and the general public. The resources we will generate will allow other young people -like me- to acquire greater employability skills".

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