ARTICLE BY: Jermaine Craig
PUBLICATION: The Sunday Times
In a world where two-thirds of South Africa’s youth are either unemployed or unemployable, how to earn an income forms part of the daily fight for survival, writes JERMAINE CRAIG.
Statistics South Africa‘s fourth-quarter 2021 figures put the country’s unemployment rate at a record-high 35.3 percent with youth unemployment at a staggering 65.5 percent.
The pressure to turn these shocking figures around is considerable. One of the ways the country’s National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is trying to respond is with its flagship Job Preparedness and Life Skills Training Programmes.
Of those young South Africans fortunate enough to be employed, nearly half were in elementary, sales and service and domestic work occupations-barely earning the minimum wage.
If finding even basic work is a struggle, there is the added challenge of how quickly the modern world of work has evolved in the digital age, making unskilled youth even more vulnerable and ill-equipped.
The accelerated pace of modern life and increased connectedness means young people can live and work globally. Today‘s youth will have the opportunity to access many new jobs over the course of their lives with associated pressures and the need for flexibility “The NYDA Job Preparedness and Life Skills Programmes are designed to prepare young people for the new world order to face not only the challenges of life, but also the new world of work,” says the NYDA’s chief executive officer, Waseem Carrim.
GETTING THE YOUTH WORK-READY
“Before young South Africans can even think of the ‘new world of work’, the NYDA acknowledges that they need even the most basic skills and confidence to prepare to enter the job market.”“The Life Skills Training intervention offers nine core modules covering topics on orientation and self-awareness, personal growth and interpersonal skills, leadership development, financial literacy and management, health and wellness, career awareness and digital citizenship.” says Carrim.
“The Job Preparedness Training intervention assists young people to improve employability, through the sharing of information, hints and tips regarding the labour market trends and drafting a CV, job search, preparation for an interview and more importantly, skills to retain employment once recommended for a position.” adds Carrim.
SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURS
Identifying and supporting young people who have started their own businesses is another key priority for the NYDA, which has provided over 8 500 youth-owned enterprises with financial interventions, including grant and relief funds.
“The grant programme provides young entrepreneurs with an opportunity to access both financial and nonfinancial business development support to enable them to establish or grow their businesses,” says Carrim.
He says the grants, from as little as R1 000 to R300 000, “provided access for young entrepreneurs to much-needed funding to establish and grow their businesses, and to support them through periods of crises”.
YES GIVES WORK EXPERIENCE
Ravi Naidoo, CEO of the business-led Youth Employment Service (YES) collaboration, says investment in the country’s youth should begin at ground level, where the preparation for the workforce starts.
Through innovation and technological best practice. YES is looking to give youth a dignified chance at employment by offering them a 12-month quality work experience with South African corporates.
Even during the pandemic. YES has worked with nearly 2 000 private companies and numerous implementation partners to get over 75 000 young people into first-time jobs. “This has seen collective salaries of R4.2-billion paid to young workers, 58 percent of whom are women. These young South Africans have also acquired invaluable formal work experience, which will stand them in good stead as they search for future opportunities. By sponsoring jobs for youths, companies boost their B-BBEE scores and their environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials.” says Naidoo.
“But while jobs and incomes are important, we must also give our youth the tools and skills they need to connect to and thrive in the modern digital world. Thousands of YES youth are being placed in positions such as data capturers, business process outsourcing roles, cyber security agents, digital artisans, drone pilots, content creators and software developers. These future facing sectors can help South Africa emerge as a leading nation in an age of technology.” Naidoo adds.
“BY SPONSORING JOBS FOR YOUTHS, COMPANIES BOOST THEIR B-BBEE SCORES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) CREDENTIALS.” — RAVI NAIDOO