Ramaphosa lauds Volvo’s investment in youth, skills
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has praised Volvo Group South Africa for its continuing investment in the country’s economy and commitment to the empowerment and development of the youth.
He was speaking during the Volvo Group Southern Africa’s youth empowerment initiative held at the company’s assembly plant in Umbongingwini in Amanzimtoti on Saturday.
The Volvo Group is planning to invest R25-million during this year on apprenticeship training and internships. It has already invested more than R86-million since 2015.
Volvo Group SA president Torbjörn Christensson said during the course of the year they would also establish a specialised driver training academy to address the shortage of skilled drivers in the region at an investment of R1.4-million.
“We’re also continuing our involvement in Star for Life‚ a non-profit organisation that aims to provide young people in southern Africa with essential skills‚ sport training and health education,” he said. “Just in three years from 2017 to 2019‚ we are planning to invest around R7.8-million in this very worthy cause.”
Christensson said they were ready and willing to join hands with the government to identify and create more opportunities for “our youth‚ to start rebuilding the social fabric and economic transformation of the South African labour market”.
Ramaphosa‚ who was accompanied by Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel and Higher Education Minister Naledi Pandor‚ said Volvo’s investment was motivated by a desire to contribute to building a better South Africa.
“It is rooted in an understanding that business is not separate from society‚ but inextricably bound to the fortunes of its people,” he said. – TimesLIVE