Youth gets tool to find work

Youth unemployment is a major issue in the country, previously being recorded at a record high of 27.1% in the third quarter of 2016 – but now the Rockefeller Foundation, together with Making Cents International, launched the Demand-Driven Training Toolkit (DDT).

The DDT is a digital training framework that includes theoretical and practical components. It will be rolled out at universities and TVET colleges, to equip the youth with the necessary skill set to make them more employable.

“The Rockefeller Foundation has been working with partners to provide demand-driven skills training that prepare youth for digital jobs across multiple sectors,” said Mamadou Biteye, the foundation’s managing director for Africa.

The toolkit attempts to bridge the gap between the skills that youth acquire through formal education systems, and those required by employers.

It will also help workforce training providers, education and training institutions and employers address the ongoing global mismatch between disadvantaged youth skills and employer needs.

The DDT was developed by Making Cents International.

“The toolkit is an important step in facilitating a strong relationship between the education supply and demand sides in South Africa to promote more employment opportunities for youth,” said Dr Christy Olenik from Making Cents International.