The International Labour Organization’s project “Support the reintegration of returnees in Ethiopia” that lasted for the past four years is phasing out with the launch of a mobile application named “SIRA app”.
The app will link returnees and employers(public and private) in the low and middle skills occupations. The SIRA App was presented in an event organized at Hilton Addis on December 26, 2018.
The app complements the comprehensive psychosocial, social and economic assistance that ILO in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA) has been providing to returnees from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through its EU funded, “Support to the reintegration of returnees in Ethiopia” project (2015-2018).
The SIRA App aims to address the mismatch between job seekers and employers focused on low and middle skill occupations.The app will facilitate returnees and other members of the community to easily have access to suitable and decent job opportunities beyond the project life.
SIRA App is a convenient and user-friendly application that directly connects employers with job seekers. The mobile app allows employers to post vacancies and search for potential candidates, while job seekers can search or subscribe for job alerts, and upload and update their information on the platform.
The app has a user-friendly interface and adheres to platform specific UI standards provided by Apple and Google respectively, hence available on Android and iOS devices.
SIRA App takes into consideration the educational levels of users, and supports Amharic and English languages. While it works in setting of limited internet access, the app can also be used offline, to enable employers and job seekers access previously downloaded data.
In her statement at the launching program, Ms. Aida Awel, Chief Technical Advisor, ILO Country Office for Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan and for the Special Representation to the AU and ECA stated “We are confident that this application will address the gap in the demand and supply side of low and medium skilled labour, reduce the cost of recruitment and allow returnees to seek out employment opportunities that best suit their needs”.
In addition to the mobile phone application, the job-matching and information platform is made available through a web based Siraet.com portal and a 6689 call center. This initiative is a product of the collaboration between ILO and 251 Communications and Marketing PLC.