BRENT MANASSE, 23

Matric Seven months “Over the last seven months, I feel I have been a burden to my mother. She raised my brother and me, all by herself. It’s tough because I can’t contribute to the household.

I have done odd jobs but finding permanent work or work with good pay is tough. I can’t get a job because I have no experience. But how am I supposed to get experience without getting a job? I can’t even count how many places I have on my CV: the airport, security agencies, at cash and carrys. Nowhere are people willing to hire me. I went to Simunye High School in Delft South. In my matric year, I did not apply to study further because I had failed my June exam. I thought I would not get accepted into any university. But in December I was happy to see that I had passed. I have applied to study HR. I heard there are many jobs in HR. I was also planning to work and save money to pay for my studies. I am trying to find out whether I am eligible for a loan.

I also applied to join the army but was unsuccessful. Qualification: science Unemployed: “I graduated in 2012 from the University of the Western Cape. I have looked in the newspaper, online and I even joined a recruitment agency – all in the hopes of finding a job. But the problem with the agency is that they have so many recruits, it is impossible for them to focus all their attention on finding one individual a job.

What getting rejected does to your self-confidence is unexplainable. After a while you start to doubt yourself. Many times I have asked myself: am I too young?; why am I not what they are looking for?

Unless you have been unemployed for as long as I have, you will never understand the stress and anxiety it causes.

But I am passionate about my chosen profession and I will never give up – I can’t. I have a two-year-old child’s future to think about. I want to give my child the best life that I can. I have given my CV to places I know I am over-qualified to work at. I still live at home with my parents.”