LORRAINE NTULI | Job opportunities exist but young people need better access

Youth Month often focuses on South Africa’s high levels ofyouth unemployment, reflecting the ongoing difficulty many young people face when trying to enter the workforce, even after completing school or tertiary studies. Businesses across many industries continue to invest in learnerships, internships and workplace training programmes. The challenge is not always that opportunities do not exist, but that many young people do not know where to find them or how to access them.

There is also often a disconnect between whatyoung job-seekersexpect from the workplace and how the current labour market operates. Closing this gap requires more than creating opportunities. It requires better visibility, more practical guidance and stronger connections between businesses, workforce partners and young job-seekers.

Many young people believe there are very few opportunities available, despite the growth of learnerships, workplace training programmes and temporary placements across many industries. In many cases, the issue is not a complete lack of opportunities but a limited awareness of where these opportunities are available and how recruitment processes have changed. Employers are increasingly using learnerships, contract roles and workplace programmes to recruit and develop talent, particularly in uncertain economic conditions where they may be cautious about offering permanent roles.

[paywall]

However, many young job-seekers remain focused only on permanent employment and are not always accessing the channels through which these opportunities are advertised. This creates a disconnect between how businesses are hiring and how many young people are searching for work. At the same time, many employers are looking for candidates with some level of workplace exposure, including an understanding of professional conduct, communication and operational environments. Structured learnerships, workplace programmes and temporary employment all help bridge this gap by giving young people practical industry experience while they continue developing technical and soft skills.

[/paywall]