Lack of skills contributes to high unemployment

This is according to Stephen du Plessis, who runs the New Beginnings Learning Academy in the Boksburg CBD.

He was reacting to the news that the unemployment rate in South Africa has increased to 26.40 per cent in the first quarter of 2015, from 24.30 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Du Plessis, who is also head of the New Beginnings Care Centre for the destitute, has identified, over the years, that in order to alleviate the unemployment rate, people need to be properly equipped and trained with the right skills.

He feels that this is not happening, pointing out, for example, that when they assess matriculants for career guidance there is a great lack of basic skills when it comes to literacy and numeracy.

The learning academy was launched several years ago and runs as an NPO, for the sole purpose of skills development.

Today the institution carries a Seta accreditation, meets all the Bee requirements and is positioned to help companies throughout Boksburg, and also Ekurhuleni, to train people in basic skills, such as computer literacy.

Du Plessis is, however, surprised that the academy is not receiving the support of companies, businesses or industries throughout Boksburg, so that the youth or existing employees can be trained in a number of basic skills.

“We are here to support businesses,” he said.

”All they have to do is to send those who are in need of skills training and we will make sure they leave here with the necessary knowledge, which they can use in their workplace or even to start their own business.

“The more people are equipped with basic skills, especially those from the disadvantaged community, the more we will be able to support the local economy.”

For this reason, for example, the academy offers the Incubus programme in townships, where a number of entrepreneurs are supported from the foundation phase, with skills and resources to get their businesses off the ground. They are also assisted with selling their products.

Du Plessis pointed out that the academy offers more than 100 accredited courses, all designed to address skills shortages.

“It should be noted that the courses are all fully accredited; it doesn’t help if someone gets the necessary training in a skill but has nothing to show for it,” he said.

“The government is set on promoting and urging learnerships, with students paid a stipend monthly, in order to bring education to the less fortunate; we can assist with such learnerships, which will benefit companies in the long run.”

Du Plessis said many of those who arrive at the New Beginnings Care Centre also attend some of the courses at the academy, in order to be equipped to be employed.

“As the community, including businesses, we need to take hands to address unemployment, and we can only do so through properly empowering people. The government cannot do this alone,” he explained.

“Out on the streets there are definite challenges when people seek employment, because they have never been properly educated.

“Part of the problem is also our school system; it is shocking that many Grade 12s cannot even do basic maths, or struggle to read, while clearly they have never received proper career counselling.

“What is the use of completing matric if you have no idea what skills you need to make a success of yourself?

“We, thus, have a whole generation of young people coming out of high schools, but they have no idea what to do, and they often find they don’t have the proper skills to do what they want to do; this is why unemployment is so high.”

Du Plessis also lamented the lack of relevant education programmes, investment in education and support for successful NPOs.

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