From Classrooms to Careers

Fundación El Origen

From Classrooms to Careers

Is an AI-powered vocational training program designed to bridge the education-to-employment gap for underrepresented youth.

Bogotá, Colombia

COL

Nonprofit

Young people from underrepresented communities face significant disadvantages in recruitment processes, with a 30% higher likelihood of being rejected at the initial stages due to gaps in proven experience, language skills, and formal education. These barriers prevent many from demonstrating their true potential in a practical way.

This project seeks to bridge the education-employability gap of underrepresented youth with practical, job-ready skills through AI-powered gamified learning experiences (labs). At the same time, the project helps companies optimize competency-based recruitment practices, making them fairer and more inclusive. How? Through our AI-powered platform, companies can generate interactive “labs” – realistic simulations specifically designed according to the requirements of each job position – to assess candidates from underrepresented communities based on their competencies, rather than being limited to traditional credentials. O-Lab will generate customized scenarios and job-specific tasks, allowing companies to observe how candidates perform in practical and relevant contexts.

O-Lab serves underrepresented youth (15-25 years old) from indigenous, migrant, and low-income communities in Latin America. Most live on $3.20/day (~$96/month), with limited access to quality education and job opportunities. • 600 youth will benefit from the program. • At least 100 participants will secure jobs, increasing their income by $5,000/year (~$416/month)—a 4-5x increase. By bridging education and employment gaps, O-Lab helps youth move from $96/month to over $500/month, enabling them to build sustainable careers and break the cycle of poverty.