EC department scoops top award
THE Eastern Cape roads and public works department scooped a top medal at the National Skills Awards in Pretoria last week.
The department won a gold award for best public sector programme on management of interns and technical, vocational education training (Tvet) students.
The department received the award at a ceremony at St George’s Hotel in Irene, south of Pretoria.
The department’s MEC, Thandiswa Marawu, said the recognition was an affirmation of the sterling job her department was doing.
“The department is a leader in the space of internship and is currently offering 220 Eastern Capebased tertiary unemployed graduates work experience for a year.
“This is part of the department’s efforts to curb the high unemployment rate among the youth.
“We also have 100 Tvet learners doing internships in the department.”
Marawu said the programme employed 220 unemployed graduates annually for year-long stint.
“Unemployment is a major talking point in South Africa.
“The youth unemployment rate in the Eastern Cape stands at 36% while the government’s national development plan is targeting a jobless rate of 14% by 2020 and 6% by 2030. Considering the current national level sits at 25% there is a lot of work that still needs to be done, with many speculating that it’s not possible given the current trend.
“The latest numbers also don’t take into account the impending job cuts expected in the mining sector.”
The department urged people with disabilities and qualifying candidates between 18 to 35 years old who have never participated in an internship programme in any government department to apply.
Marawu said the programme aimed to provide unemployed graduates with working experience to close the gap between academic theory and practical work.
The programme is for South African graduates residing within the Eastern Cape with a completed degree or national diploma (NQF 6) or honours and masters in any of the relevant fields of study.
Roads and public works spokesman Mphumzi Zuzile said: “Successful applicants will be placed in various regions throughout the province and should therefore apply for a position available in the region where they would like to be placed.”
The internship programme is offered for a period of 12 months.
Successful applicants will be appointed on a contract that commences on April 1 and ends on March 31 next year.
He said they would be required to sign an internship contract with the department and would receive a stipend of R5 000 a month. —