THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

Government and Business Working Together to Address Youth Unemployment.

There is an urgent need for innovative and practical approaches to tackle the youth unemployment rate in South Africa. While government policies and programmes play a role in addressing unemployment, it is increasingly recognised that effective solutions require collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Itukise, a programme of The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), is a graduate internship programme that aims to tackle the challenges of youth unemployment by providing practical work experience to young graduates. The programme strives to enhance the employability of unemployed graduates by equipping them with the necessary skills required in the workplace. Through partnerships with private companies, Itukise offers internships that run between 12 to 36 months, thus offering graduates opportunities to work in dticsupported companies.

In addition, the programme enables the youth platform to gain valuable exposure to the corporate world, as well as the opportunity to develop essential job-hunting skills and social connections. In this way, Itukise seeks to build the confidence and work readiness of young graduates, increasing their chances of securing long-term employment.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), hosted a graduation ceremony on 10 March 2023 for beneficiaries of the Itukise Programme at the RH Hotel in Pretoria. During the ceremony certificates were handed over to the interns, in-service trainees and professional candidates who successfully completed the programme.

During a speech delivered at the graduation ceremony, Deputy Minister of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ms Nomalungelo Gina, highlighted the urgent need for publicprivate partnerships to tackle the pressing issue of youth unemployment.

“In view of the current economic realities in South Africa, it is now clear that the government alone will not be able to combat the continuous increase in the rate of unemployment among the youth. A partnership between the government and the private sector is critical. It is therefore necessary for more stakeholders, especially the private sector, to collaborate with the South African government to create job opportunities and by extension, reduce the employment rate among the South African youth,” said Ms Gina.

Research conducted globally and locally demonstrated that in a labour market which is constrained and has limited employment growth, as well as a shortage of intermediate and high-level skills, having relevant work experience can enhance the likelihood of securing permanent job placements. During the graduation ceremony, Ms Gina emphasised the government’s responsibility to prepare young people for the job market by establishing a skills pipeline. She also congratulated the graduates and wished them success in their professional journeys and future endeavours.

“I want to thank all companies who have assisted us in providing their workplaces as training spaces for these young people. You have shown patriotism and a sense of national duty. On behalf of the dtic and the government as a whole, we want to express our appreciation to you. I take this opportunity to call upon all other companies large, small, and medium to open up their workplaces for the next intake for our youth so that we can increase numbers,” said Ms Gina.

Chief Executive Officer of Ploychem Replacement Parts, Rudolph Manikum, who hosted two interns at his company, stressed the importance of skills transfer in transforming the economy and encouraged the graduates to pursue their dreams and never to give up. Speaking on behalf of the Itukise graduates Boltini Chuma shared how the programme helped her acquire practical training, including a three-year stint as a Quality Assessor at her host company, which led to a permanent job offer with a sizable income to support herself and her family. Similarly, electrical intern Pfano Nemavhulani spoke about how the

Deputy Minister: Nomalungelo Gina

training expanded her skills to include maintenance building, pneumatic systems, and autoclaves. Nemavhulani added how the training programme enabled her to acquire practical skills, work independently and become a qualified electrician to this day.

“It was very challenging as I was coming across these technical job specifications for the first time. With the help of my manager and the rest of the team, within a few months, I could attend to a breakdown on my own. I had also made a lot of mistakes over this period, but I learned and grew in my job,” concluded Nemavhulani. 

CONTACT DETAILS

Email: contactus@thedtic.gov.za

Website: www.thedtic.gov.za

Address: 77 Meintjies Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0002