Organisation introduces preemployment training for youth
Many young people graduate from school every year with the hope of finding employment but ends up joining thousands of other fellow youths in the streets without employment.
Majority spend even close to five years or more job hunting as they struggle to access the information they need in order to plan for the future or the relevant training institute that they need to gain new skills, says founder of BW Jobs 4 Graduates, Christopher Seagateng.
According to Seagateng, youth inactivity is a massive problem across the globe and Botswana is no exception. Young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) comprise a substantial proportion of the potential youth force in Botswana.
“For many, the transition from school to work can be long and arduous, characterised by cycles of unemployment, zero-hours contract jobs, unpaid internships and low quality jobs with few legal rights or social protection. This has profound social and economic impacts in terms of lost productivity, the social cohesion of communities, and the mental well-being of individuals,” said Seagateng.
The organisation has now introduced the pre-employment training programme to curb the challenge. The programme is meant to help final year students and fresh graduates from tertiary institutions to get ‘work ready’ for jobs in the private and public sectors, or for self-employment thereby mainstreaming youth participation in economic activities of their respective communities with a view to reducing unemployment.
He noted that the programme will develop skills of participants to successfully start, manage, diversify and expand any business enterprise. It will also train participants on means of accessing funds, subject to the financial Institutions’ regulations, and to raise a new class of entrepreneurs who can successfully compete globally, and who can serve as the centre for the industrialisation of their communities and Botswana.
The programme is scheduled to start on May 2. Participants will learn the art of business start-up, expansion and sustainability and also prepare graduates for work life and serve as a good support to transit them from school to employment.
He noted that any person seeking employment, self-employment and those pursuing further studies qualify to be on the programme.