Pedro Henrique Martins Silva, 19 years old, has been preparing better for job interviews. A student of systems analysis and development, Silva learned that he needs to adjust some of the slang he uses “in the neighborhood” where he lives, in the east zone of São Paulo.
Expressions like “beleza” (cool), “tipo” (like), and “tá ligado?” (you know?) are no longer part of his vocabulary when facing a potential employer. He’s also been careful to avoid repeating the same words too often. On the other hand, he felt confident upon learning that his voice tone—clear and steady—was a strength in interviews, as well as his ability to present his ideas in an organized way.
Who helped Silva with tips on how to behave in interviews for a job wasn’t his college friends, parents, or professors. It was the “My Interview Prep” tool, launched this year by the Wadhwani Foundation, which uses artificial intelligence to train candidates on common interview questions and how to present themselves most effectively to land a job.
“The tool identified my strengths and weaknesses and told me I need to show examples of how I can improve my performance. This helped me stop seeing interviews as a do-or-die test. Now I feel more relaxed,” says the university student.
Founded by Indian tech entrepreneur Romesh Wadhwani in the early 2000s, the Wadhwani Foundation aims to ensure that young people in vulnerable social situations are prepared for the job market by developing soft skills—socioemotional competencies such as good communication, confidence, a positive attitude, and teamwork.
Between 2024 and 2027, the foundation plans to invest $25 million (R$128 million) in 15 countries worldwide, with 10% of that in Brazil, where it has been active for about four years, working with companies and institutions like the Bunge Foundation, iFood, and Trevisan.
“From our research with employers, we discovered that soft skills make up 70% of the competencies needed to succeed in a job,” says Thiago Françoso, vice president of employability at the Wadhwani Foundation in Brazil. “Even if young people have technical knowledge, they often struggle with relationships or communication due to a lack of these skills. This can put their job retention at risk.”
Systems developer Rarikmilkrai Souza, 35, has never struggled with math or logical thinking—natural skills for this Pernambuco native, who learned to read and write at age four. But explaining system improvements to non-technical clients has always been a challenge for him.
“I couldn’t translate the technical language into something informal,” says Souza. “I spoke confidently with others who mastered the technical language like me, but I didn’t know how to communicate with laypeople.”
Through the Wadhwani Foundation’s AI tools, available on both their website and app, Souza was able to better understand where his limitations lay and how to overcome them. Relationships with his team were also an issue. “I’m not into BBB [Big Brother Brazil] or anything like that,” he says, noting he doesn’t even own a TV. “I used to isolate myself from people because I didn’t enjoy the same things they did. But now, I can interact much better.”
Recently, the foundation partnered with SENAI (National Service for Industrial Learning) and SEDUC (Secretary of Education of São Paulo State) through the Regional Education Board of North 2 in the state capital.
At SEDUC, part of the program was implemented between April and November last year. Since then, a 30% reduction in discipline issues has been observed among third-year technical education students, according to the foundation. Topics such as communication, empathy, self-control, and conflict resolution were developed with the students.
Through a platform simulating real-life and workplace situations, students were encouraged to find the best solutions. “The students also showed greater concern about job interviews and entering the job market,” Françoso notes.
According to Daniel Barros, SEDUC’s pedagogical director, starting next year, all second- and third-year high school students enrolled in technical education in public schools across the state will have access to the “My Interview Prep” tool. This will encompass 170,000 students, equivalent to 25% of the total number of second- and third-year high school students.
“In technical education, students have a component called career and job market, which helps them prepare for participating in selection processes. The Wadhwani Foundation’s tools are very helpful because they provide more detailed and specific feedback on how each individual can improve their responses in selection processes,” says Barros.
“It’s not enough to present a diploma: they need to know how to tell their story, be convincing, to cross that bridge from school to the professional world.”
Source: Folha de São Paulo
