Youth urged to consider internship and learnership programmes to gain work experience

Participants of the Yes 4Youth internship programme at Witkoppen Clinic have urged unemployed youth to consider joining the initiative to gain the work experience that is needed when applying for a job.

Monni Hlulu, Mmantina Rakoto, Bridget Phiri-Mukwevho and Arnold Taki were part of the programme and said it had helped them gain much-needed work experience and helped some of them land permanent employment at the clinic.

Hlulu said her passion to help people at the clinic helped her get a permanent position as a receptionist as part of a 12-month internship.

“With hard work, determination and through my friendly personality, I proved myself above expectation. After 12 months of the programme, I was offered a permanent position at Witkoppen Clinic as a receptionist assistant. My goal from here is to study office administration and human resource management to help me boost my career ambitions,” Hlulu said.

Rakoto said her journey as a Yes4Youth intern made her realise that she was good at working with people.

“From where I was, now I can see that helping people in terms of health is my passion. Now I am a champion of HIV and patient care at the facility,” Rakoto said.

Phiri-Mukwevho said the programme had helped her learn how to work with different systems.

“I heard about the Yes4Youth programme which led me to apply for an opportunity at Witkoppen Clinic as at the time I was in desperate need of a job. Now in my 10th month of the programme, I have gained much-needed work experience,” Phiri-Mukwevho said.

Taki holds a bachelor’s degree in geography and anthropology and said he joined Witkoppen Clinic because he loved helping people.

“I highly recommend that youth grab the opportunity of an internship programme if they want to get work experience and take their professions to the next level,” he said.