-- Generation has collaborated with The BlackRock Foundation, McKinsey & 
Company, Microsoft Corp. and Verizon to successfully tackle global 
unemployment, placing thousands of people into jobs that have generated more 
than $140 million in salary income to date

Generation, the global nonprofit employment network, today announced that it 
has surpassed the milestone of 25,000 graduates across 16 countries since the 
start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, placing thousands of people into 
jobs and bringing total graduates to 65,000 since it launched more than seven 
years ago.

With the combined commitment of Generation's Global Jobs Recovery coalition – 
The BlackRock Foundation, McKinsey & Company, Microsoft Corp., and Verizon – 
the organization has trained, placed, and supported people of all ages into 
careers that would otherwise be inaccessible. In these new jobs, the 25,000 
pandemic graduates have together already earned more than $140 million in 
salary income.

"We are thrilled to reach this milestone alongside our collaborators, and we 
are inspired by the hard work and dedication of the thousands of individuals 
who have transformed their lives through our programs during the pandemic," 
said Mona Mourshed, Founding Global CEO of Generation. "We have seen firsthand 
how, even in remote environments, people can learn new skills, demonstrate 
talents, and excel in the workplace. But truly inclusive employment still faces 
many challenges, and we continue to work alongside employers, governments, and 
practitioners to create opportunities for talented candidates of every race, 
gender, ethnicity, and educational background."

Notably, while the majority of Generation's programs moved permanently to 
online or blended delivery during the pandemic, results have remained strong. 
74% of graduates have been placed in jobs within 3 months of program 
completion, rising to 85% within 6 months. They earn 3-4 times the income they 
had prior to Generation. At one year after job placement, 78% remain employed.

The individuals that Generation serves typically face a variety of challenges 
before participating in the employment program. 40% have been unemployed for 6 
months or longer. For 2020 graduates, only 38% of them report being able to 
afford daily needs prior to the Generation program whereas 81% of them say they 
can do so today. They are a diverse group as well. Two-thirds of this group of 
pandemic graduates has only secondary school education or vocational training, 
53% are female, the majority are from underrepresented communities where they 
live, and more than 30% have dependents. 

Per dollar of support Generation has received to date from the Global Jobs 
Recovery coalition, these 25,000 graduates have generated $2.74 in earnings. 
The organization expects these graduates to earn an additional $474.5 million 
through 2027, which means that each dollar of philanthropic support to 
Generation will have produced $11.85 in five-year earnings for this group.

In late 2020, Generation received a commitment of $77 million in new funding 
and $50 million in in-kind resources over two years from BlackRock, McKinsey & 
Company, Microsoft Corp., and Verizon, encompassing cash funding, in-kind 
resources, and connections to employers in their ecosystems for Generation 
graduates. To date, this support, alongside that of other national and local 
funders, has enabled the significant expansion of Generation's collaboration 
with governments and other workforce partners, globally, supporting the 
embedding of Generation's approach within large-scale, existing systems. 

Generation's work with its partners continues, and the organization expects to 
have 20,000 graduates in 2022, growing from ~12,000 last year. 

Nasira, Generation Graduate and Disability Support Worker, Royal Rehab AFEA 
Care Services, said: 

"When my son was born with Down syndrome, working was out of the question. 
Shortly after, the pandemic hit, and I felt incredibly useless stuck at home. 
In the depths of isolation, I received an email about Generation's disability 
support worker program. The course was fully online – meaning I could complete 
it around caring for my son. It changed the trajectory of family life forever, 
providing me with the knowledge to monetise my nurturing tendencies and turn 
them into a career."

Luciano, Generation Graduate and Programmer, Salesforce, said: 

"Generation's facilitation of the digital economy and its mission to provide 
opportunities for those most affected by the global pandemic is so powerful. 
Covid's impact on commercial flights and the tourism industry meant that I lost 
my job right at the start of the pandemic. Before Generation, I was not that 
familiar with the world of programming , but guided by the placement team, I 
very soon discovered it was a fascinating field with continuous challenges and 
opportunities to learn, which very much matches my skill set."

Learn more at generation.org

SOURCE Generation