Tshepo 1 Million gives the youth access to job opportunities through training
● One of the reasons the youth with technical skills struggle to get jobs is due to young people not having enough experience required by the employer.
To bridge this gap, the Gauteng provincial government’s office of premier David Makhura’s Tshepo 1 Million, in partnership with Harambee — a non-profit social enterprise aimed at addressing the global youth unemployment — has come up with a programme that increases the opportunity for artisans and engineers to access jobs.
Named the Installation Repair and Mantainance Jnr Technician, the programme, run by Harambee, bridges the gap between engineering theory and work readiness in terms of practical skills and work behaviours.
‘‘It prepares the young person to enter the workplace ready to engage positively in onthe-job training and development,’’ said Harambee’s Anthony Gewer.
The IRM assists in handskills, measuring, materials, engineering drawing, fluid power, electrics/electronics, networking, health and safety, punctuality, self-regulation, attention to detail, resilience, physical endurance and positive attitude.
‘‘The initiative with its multiple exit pathways provides an opportunity for employers looking to tap in to a technical skills talent pool for its entry-level employment needs, enterprise & supplier development incubation and apprenticeship opportunities,’’ said Gewer.
He noted that Harambee’s IRM programme has partnered with more than 430 companies in all sectors including retail, hospitality, tourism, financial services, and business services among others.
‘‘The other 100 are currently in training and will get into the workplace from February. We are targeting 1,000 placements by June 2019 and 7,500 by 2022, 30% of which will go into micro enterprises (as entrepreneurs),’’ he said.
The IRM programme forms part of initiatives that Makhura’s government along with various organisations have over the past four years launched to empower the youth.
Makhura’s Tshepo 1 Million, which is run along with the Presidential Youth Employment Service, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator and private sector employers, has since inception benefited 514,000 young people.
During the delivery of his political report last week, Makhura said Harambee’s role was to serve as a clearing house by preparing young people for high-demand jobs in specific sectors and specific employers, based on their skills and where they live. He said many employers are impressed with the preparatory work done by Harambee.
“This work ranges from the broad-based mass digital learning system now running in township libraries to much more job-specific and task-specific bridging programmes needed to prepare young people for what they will actually do on the job,” he said.
“Through this intervention, many talented young people today have job opportunities and run their own businesses.”
He said he accepted criticism from those who say the programme was not big and fast enough, especially given that there were 2million unemployed young people.
“We are now upscaling the programme and linking it to the opportunities in the township economy, as Tshepo 1 Million.”
Those wanting to benefit from Tshepo 1Million should log onto www.tshepo.mobi and a consultant will call them.
One of the beneficiaries, Themba Hlophe, said: “Tshepo 1 Million is designed to break down the barriers that young people encounter when seeking work opportunities.”
The provincial government has also rolled out broadband to more than 1,000 sites including schools, hospitals, public service customer care centres and industrial parks to modernise both the provincial government and the economy in line with the fourth Industrial Revolution. The youth also benefit from the township economic revitalisation programme.
Gauteng MEC for economic development Lebogang Maile said the provincial government has spent 22% of its procurement budget buying goods and services from businesses owned by women. Many of these companies based in the townships employ youth and some are owned by young people.
Finance MEC Barbara Creecy said township businesses and those owned by young people also received a fair share of government public procurement programmes.
She said since 2014 the government has procured goods and services from 43% of the black businesses to the value of R10.7bn.