Njideka Harry, founder and CEO of YouthForTech, told HuffPost Live at Davos it’s important for young people to get skills not only get and maintain jobs, but to create jobs down the road.
“Young people are happening today, and they have a say in both the economic process as well as the political process,” Harry said.
The millions of jobs created on the continent of Africa in the last decade, Harry said less than 30 percent went to young workers. She said “the ability to provide [youths] with the appropriate skill set so they’re not only moving into the work place, but they’re also creating jobs themselves through entrepreneurship” is ideal.
Harry said people in the fields of entrepreneurship and technology can work together to create jobs. She said it’s important not only to teach young people good working skills, but also to show young people how to monetize those skills.
She encourages reverse migration among young people in places like Africa because of the “power of rural communities,” saying youths “have the ability to stay in their community, develop a micro-business, hire people from their communities and make those communities better.”
Below, more updates from the 2015 Davos Annual Meeting:
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“I design technologies that are meant to maintain our adherence to the values we care most about,” Cassell said.
Cassell said she thinks the idea of having microchips implanted in humans is not a question of “if,” but “when.” She said she looks at the very recent history of medical technology, at this like prosthetic limbs, LASEK eye surgery and even contact lenses, as proof of how quickly things are developing.
“I enjoy the ability to leave my desk and do my work from Davos, I love the idea of, my students, for example, don’t know if I’m in my office or shopping downtown,” she said.
But she said the downfalls include the feeling that she must interact with co-workers when she may not have before, like while she’s on vacation.
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New America President and CEO Anne-Marie Slaughter talks to HuffPost Live about her new blog on the on-demand economy.
Desmond-Hellmann, who sits on the board of directors at Facebook, said more must be done to include women in leadership roles.
“In corporate America and in Silicon Valley we have a lot of work to do for women to feel included, to feel like they have a seat at the table, and to have the kind of leadership roles that I’ve experienced.”
Desmond-Hellmann said solving global issues like Ebola isn’t just the responsibility of philanthropists or private companies.
“I think it’s a collaboration… it’s non-governmental organizations, it’s academia, it’s private industry,” she said.
She said the Gates Foundation thinks of its funds “as leverage” for companies to get involved with helping global issues.
Desmond-Hellmann discussed the ongoing Ebola problem, saying the Gates Foundation has made a million investment in fighting the virus. But she said that’s a “small” investment, as the UN said there was a need for .5 billion to help eliminate the disease.
“I don’t think that anybody feels good about the global response to Ebola,” she said.
“We’re focused right now on getting Ebola to zero,” she added. “There continues to be people who are suffering and dying in West Africa.”
