Youth unemployment a key issue

Keynote speakers included Sylvester Moepya, senior manager of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, and Yershen Pillay, the executive chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).

Both Moepya and Pillay agreed that the creation of jobs was a vital issue.

Although youth unemployment is a global problem, Moepya said youth unemployment has been inordinately high in South Africa. “[A total of] 49.9 percent of our youth is unemployed. This equates to 3.4 million South Africans between the ages of 18 and 28 who are unemployed.”

Moepya said 43 percent of these people have a matric qualification. “It is one of our many social economic challenges and can be attributed to our low education levels and high dropout rate,” he said.

What made the statistics even grimmer was the fact that 61 percent of these individuals have no work experience at all.

Harambee’s solution to this, according to Moepya, is the utilisation of bridging programmes which simulate the work environment and give the young person exposure to the world of work. “Bridging programmes range in complexity, lasting from two days to two months,” he said.

Pillay explained that the NYDA is an agency established primarily to tackle challenges facing the nation’s youth. “Similar to many developing countries, South Africa has a youth bulge, with youth between the ages 14 and 35 representing 42 percent of the total population. Given the youthful nature of the population, much of the socioeconomic challenges faced by the nation, such as poverty, inequality, joblessness and poor health, are borne by the youth.”

In 2013, the NYDA set out a new vision, said Pillay. “There is currently a low level or poor quality of education, so we don’t realise the full potential that is inherent in our country. Only 13 percent of young South Africans intend to start a business, which is much lower than the African level of 61 percent.”

Pillay explained the NYDA’s multi-dimensional approach, which includes interventions aimed at the big five factors of youth development:

•  Improving levels of education
•  Accelerated skills development
•  A structured mass-based, youth-based service programme
•  A culture of youth entrepreneurship
•  The promotion of health and wellness.

Pillay said, “[A total of] 3.2 million youth opportunities must be created.”

Dr Renosi Mokate, SBL executive director and CEO said, “The SBL is committed to engaging with challenging issues that face our nation, and equipping students and alumni with the knowledge and solution-based thinking, will help solve these socioeconomic problems.”