Giving hope to unemployed youth

Written by: Silusapho Nyanda

A government-based agency charged with tackling challenges that face the nation’s youth runs a number of programmes that aim to give youngsters a fighting chance.

Londiwe Mbatsane, who is a skills coach for non-profit organisation Grassroot Soccer, was unable to find a job for over two years before the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) extended a lifeline to her.

The 24-year-old said in helping her find a job, the NYDA enabled her to assist her
unemployed mother. 

Mbatsane, after hearing from a friend about an NYDA job placement programme, emailed her CV and matric certificate to the agency. The Hazyview resident said that she submitted her documents  in January and by the end of February, she started her new job.

“I submitted my CV and my matric certificate but I was afraid they would not call me because they wanted a person with matric and I had additional qualifications,” she said. These include a Diploma in Human Resources from Stanford International College and a Diploma in Business Management from Tshwane South TVET College, neither of which helped her secure employment prior to the NYDA’s intervention.

The job placement programme aims to link skilled and unskilled young people, up to the age of 35, with jobs in companies that have vacancies.

The programme also helps young people get the necessary skills through its job preparedness training programme. This programme specifically trains unskilled youth for the job market

"Young people should use the opportunities offered by the NYDA", said Mbatsane. The NYDA has several programmes aimed at placing job seekers in relevant posts. These include the Pearson Job Seekers Opportunity and the National Youth Service Programme.

Young people who are interested in being part of one of these programmes can submit their CVs to the NYDA via email or physically at a NYDA offices.

The agency then captures the job seekers’ details before matching them with employers who are looking for their
specific skills.