Ramaphosa launches online platform for job opportunities

President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially launched the national pathway management network, which brings together eight government departments to form a network to support for young people to find ways into the economy.

Delivering the Youth Day address virtually, the President highlighted a few government initiatives aimed at creating jobs for young people and connecting them to opportunities. 

The government partnered with the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator and other organisations to create the SAYouth.Mobi site, where young people can register to find opportunities.

According to the President, the site has been zero-rated by all mobile networks so that it can be accessed from anywhere in the country at no cost.

“This will complement our existing efforts to create physical spaces where young people can go to access information, opportunities and support.”

“In the next five years we hope to add 3 million to this network. This ambition represents the scale and impact that we can achieve through effective private-public partnerships,” he said.

“It works through an algorithm and matches it with opportunities that are available. This includes the NYDA centres and 127 labour centres in every province.”

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The President also launched MPOWA, a youth platform developed by in MLab in partnership with the department of science and innovation.

The platform provides job seekers and entrepreneurs with information about services and support available in their areas.

This in addition to the presidential employment stimulus which has supported over 10,000 jobs in business process outsourcing.

“As part of this programme we brought in 2,000 young agriculture studies graduates to help with beneficiary verification. Through the presidential employment stimulus, 50,000 subsistence farmers across the country have received input vouchers,” said Ramaphosa.

Sixty per cent of these farmers are young people, he said.

“The presidential employment stimulus is now the largest public employment programme in our country, and is the fastest to reach such a large scale.

“Our goal is to become a country where every young person has a place to go – whether in further education and training, in skills development, in work experience, in entrepreneurship, in youth service or in formal employment.”

The President said his administration was doing all it could to ensure young people have access to opportunities.

“Young people are the force that drives a country and grows its economy. Young people are a source of innovation and new ideas. Young people have energy and talent.”