USAID’s YouLead program signed partnerships with  Microsoft Sri Lanka, Regional Development Bank (RDB) the World University Services Canada (WUSC) and financial institutions, including micro-and community finance groups, and commercial and public-sector banks. YouLead is working to align young people with existing jobs through improved vocational education and enhanced opportunities for self-employment. 

Youlead’s partnership with Microsoft launched the new YouthWorks information technology portal at the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training (MSDVT) in February, providing career guidance, vocational and technical courses, mentorship, job placements, and a variety of other tools to support Sri Lanka’s young job-seekers and entrepreneurs. YouLead will work with Microsoft, MSDVT and the private sector to develop and upload content for YouthWorks in English and local languages.

YouLead signed an agreement in January with Sri Lanka’s RDB to encourage youth-led enterprises—particularly those in rural areas or led by women. Under this agreement, YouLead will train the bank’s credit officers and support entrepreneurs with both pre- and post-investment technical support.

In March 2018, YouLead also signed a Memorandums of Understanding with WUSC and Career Me. The organizations will work together to change behavior, identify market-driven job requirements in the vocational training sector, refer youth to education and training providers, as well as financial service providers, and employers respectively.