By Ido Lekota
AUCKLANDPARK – The high rate of youth unemployment, as well as the often highlighted skills mismatch between what our institutions of higher education are producing and the industry – has seen the development of many intervention strategies within both the public and private sector to address the prevailing dire situation.
One such private sector is the Youth Employment Services (YES) programme which is solely funded by the private sector. Started seven (7) years ago (2018), the YES programme has seen over 180 000 youths from disadvantaged communities getting their first quality work experience through twelve months contracts or fulltime jobs – during which they get work integrated training. To enhance the much-needed skilled youth base, YES also provides 30+ online modules to all youth in programme in subjects including work readiness, entrepreneurship (accredited) and AI training.
“Yes has the highest post-programme permanent and fixed-term absorption rates of 45%+ (can be 90-100%) and 17% of the youth setting up their own businesses”, highlighted YES Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ravi Naidoo in a recent interview.
He also pointed out that YES accounts for 68% of the demand-led skilling programme jobs in the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative, which includes all other skills development programmes in the country. To catch up with the demands of the digital revolution, YES also “channels talented young people to future-facing sectors, covering a range of technology, digital, advanced manufacturing, and entrepreneurial skills sets”, added Naidoo.
“Yes works with companies and government to curate a talent pipeline that can support future-facing sectors, such as, drone technology, tourism, entrepreneurship, etc.”, averred Naidoo.
YES is also leading the AI Skills Hub for Africa, a joint programme with Microsoft global targeting 50 000 youths a year for Microsoft-certified qualifications. By its nature of being a demand-led programme whereby all the candidates go into jobs, YES provides youth with skills which improve their employability, according to Naidoo. He vaunts that YES propels employability seven times more.
“The opportunities created by YES are 100 percent funded by employers who support the programme. Currently YES has 1850+ companies that are sponsoring YES jobs, making it the largest pool of sponsoring companies in any social impact programme in Africa”, explained Naidoo.
For Naidoo, through its versatility, YES has been able to ameliorate youth employment rate with a footprint of 25% per year over the past four years. .
Meanwhile, the YES leadership has also suggested policy enhancements that could unlock jobs – making youth employment a national priority. To broaden its base, YES is currently working with Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) and other sector associations to encourage more companies to come on board and sponsor more YES-linked youth.
