Generation Mexico uses AI to reimagine youth employment
80% of young people in Mexico lack the skills needed to access formal employment. Thousands are looking for opportunities without knowing where to start.
Generation Mexico is working to change that. Since 2015, it has trained young people in technical and professional skills and connected them to jobs. To date, it has supported more than 8,000 people, and 95% secure employment within six months.
But as more young people sought access to its programs, maintaining personalized support became difficult.
Scaling career guidance without losing human connection
More young people were seeking information about Generation Mexico's programs. The team had to answer questions and guide applications, but each conversation took between 10 and 15 minutes.
The challenge was no longer just about growth. It was about growing without losing the human connection.
"Our team needed a tool that could spread awareness of our programs faster, without creating additional operational burden, while maintaining the responsiveness and closeness that younger generations expect," explains Mercedes de la Maza, Executive Director of Generation Mexico.
During the Propel Fellowship they began to imagine a new solution and explore how to use technology to reach more young people.
The question was no longer whether they should use AI. It was how to use it to better support more young people who need their programs to improve their lives.
Geni: A chatbot bringing employment oipportunities closer
With the support of the Global Innovation Challenge 2025 from Citi Foundation, Geni, an AI-powered chatbot on WhatsApp, was born.
Geni answers questions, recommends programs, and helps screen candidates for enrollment through a simple and accessible conversation. Young people can reach out whenever they want and receive immediate guidance without complex processes or long wait times.
In just a few weeks, Geni has accumulated over 150 interactions and freed up more than 30 operational hours for the team. Today, staff can spend more time supporting young people and less time on repetitive tasks.
What they learned building Geni
1. AI works when it solves a real problem
Geni was created to solve a bottleneck in Generation Mexico's guidance process.
The team first understood the problem, then designed the experience, and finally chose the technology that would make it possible.
While many nonprofits start with the tool, Generation started with the need.
2. Technology works best when it's accessible
Generation chose WhatsApp for one reason: that’s where its users already were.
Before building Geni, the team conducted interviews and surveys to understand how young people search for information and what barriers they face.
They discovered something important: many young people avoided asking questions because they felt insecure or afraid of being wrong. They also preferred chatbots because they felt that adults often provided too much context without directly answering their questions.
The chatbot helped remove that barrier. Technology accelerated the process. Trust made it work.
3. Scaling doesn't mean losing human connection
The team continues to support young people, but now in a more efficient way.
Geni became a bridge. It quickly guides young people looking for opportunities and connects them with the team whenever additional support is needed.
Today, the team spends less time on repetitive tasks and more time focused on people.
A collective effort to expand opportunities
Geni was made possible by Propel, the IFE del ITESM and the Global Innovation Challenge 2025 from Citi Foundation.
“At Citi, we believe strategic partnerships are essential to expanding opportunities at scale. Through Citi Foundation, we support programs like Generation Mexico’s that combine innovation and talent to strengthen youth employability and contribute to the country’s economic growth,” said Luis Brossier, general director of Citi Mexico.
With Citi Foundation’s grant, we are proud to continue advancing our mission. Our goal is to support more than 450 young people through technical training and employability programs. At the same time, we are building Geni to guide and inform those seeking opportunities to transform their lives,” shared Mercedes de la Maza, Executive Director of Generation Mexico.
Stories like this show how technology can expand opportunities for more young people in Latin America.
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