The future is looking bright for Isuzu’s first intake of Youth Employment Service (YES) candidates.
Landle Kenneth Carelse, 25, is one of the 2020 YES candidates who was successfully placed at Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf). “I have really enjoyed the YES programme and the additional training we received thus far. I did not expect to be selected to stay on, but I was working towards employment despite the challenges of 2020,” said Carelse.
Billy Tom, IMSAf CEO and MD, said the YES programme has been a highly rewarding initiative for Isuzu.
One of the three females in the group of YES candidates selected to stay on at IMSAf, Anelisa Sigaba, 24, said communication was a challenge during the initial lockdown period. “Some of our team members worked from home, but once I started visiting different sites later in the year, the work became very exciting. The YES programme has been a great experience for me,” said Sigaba.
As part of its second intake, Isuzu has placed 42 new candidates in various departments across the company, its subsidiaries and dealerships.
With the unemployment rate continuing to rise – particularly amongst the youth demographic in South Africa – it is important for the private sector to play its part.
“We are committed to the growth and development of young South Africans and we believe that our youth deserve opportunities which accelerate their employability. We believe that this programme provides an opportunity to gain skills, learn workplace discipline and to grow and develop on a personal level,” said Tom.
To date the YES initiative has created over 51 000 work experiences in South Africa, deploying R3-billion into the local economy.