THE transition from high school to tertiary education and the national workforce can be a difficult change. Essential skills that are required to succeed in the South African workforce are not always picked up and some young people do not have the proper access to these tools and skills.
THE eThekwini Furniture Cluster (EFC) is offering sector-specific learnerships to address what they call a skills shortage in the furniture sector.
Nine candidates budding with potential have started a life-changing journey as part of the eThekwini Furniture Clusters (EFC) Workplace Readiness Programme for Unemployed Youth.
According to Tamlyn Kisten, the Skills Co-Ordinator for the EFC, the content for the programme has been created based on the gaps identified between market demand intelligence from some of South Africa’s major furniture retailers and the existing skills in the furniture manufacturing industry.
Kisten said this has resulted in the development of unique modules that will increase the likelihood of real career opportunities for these youngsters.
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“The programme is an important collaboration between the EFC, our members, and other important role players in the furniture sector, and as a result, it aligns skills development with sector growth,” said Tamlyn.
“Working together, we aim to give deserving unemployed young people the sector-specific skills that will help them secure their first employment opportunity and build a meaningful, sustainable career,” she said.
The programme features a combination of online and in-person training and includes webinars, classroom workshops, online self-study, and assessments.
Courtney Barnes, the Chief Facilitator for the EFC said the content is focused on building up and empowering the students with rich design skills as well as developing their leadership potential through the ability to identify and solve operational challenges.
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“From strong design capabilities to being able to step into junior business administration, operational and production leadership roles, the programme is designed to provide candidates with a relevant and versatile curriculum that has been specifically tailored to the demands of the sector,” Barnes explains.
Anusuyah Pather, Programme Manager for the eThekwini Sector Programmes Unit says that with the current youth unemployment rate of 66%, the development of new entrants in the local furniture sector is a priority for the municipality and the Workplace Readiness Programme is an important milestone in reducing unemployment.
For more information about the EFC’s Workplace Readiness Programme, email efc@bmanalysts.com
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