DPRU Hosts Design Workshop at UCT on AI for Young Jobseekers in South Africa:

On 31 March 2026, the Development Policy Research Unit (DPRU) in the School of Economics at the University of Cape Town (UCT) hosted a design workshop titled “AI for Young Jobseekers in South Africa.” The event brought together researchers, policymakers, and technology partners to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can support unemployed youth in navigating South Africa’s challenging labour market.

The workshop formed part of an ongoing DPRU-led research project headed by Dr Tim Köhler, which examines whether generative AI-powered career guidance tools can help young jobseekers overcome information constraints and improve their labour market outcomes. The research is funded by Schmidt Sciences as part of their AI at Work programme and aims to generate rigorous evidence on the role of AI in a developing-country contexts.

Proceedings began with opening remarks from Dr Köhler, followed by a scene-setting presentation on youth unemployment in South Africa by Professor Ariane De Lannoy (SALDRU). Participants were then introduced to the design of the experiment and were then given a live demonstration of the beta version of the AI tool presented by FynbosAI.

A key feature of the day was a series of interactive breakout sessions, where youth employment experts were given access to the AI tool itself and provided feedback on the tool’s functionality, accessibility, and relevance. These discussions highlighted both the promise of AI as a complement to existing job-readiness interventions and the importance of context-sensitive design.

The workshop concluded with a plenary discussion and closing reflections, reinforcing the DPRU’s commitment to evidence-based research on labour market challenges and innovative policy responses.

The event was made possible through the generous support of Schmidt Sciences, UNU-WIDER, and FynbosAI.