Learn more about the NCD’s Graduate Placement Initiative
Unemployed Graduates empowered through NCD's Graduate Placement Initiative.
The high rate of unemployed graduates is one of the biggest challenges in South Africa. According to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2017, the unemployment rate among graduates is 7.3%.
Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) and Networx for Career Development, a division of Networx Group, have partnered in an effort to assist in eradicating the rate of unemployment amongst graduates through Networx for Career Development’s Work Readiness Programme (WRP) that assists young graduates from all over South Africa to have better chances of getting employment.
“One of the greatest challenges for graduates is to acquire employability skills needed in the workplace while one of the greatest challenges facing organisations is the amount of personal development still required by graduates when they enter the job market.
“So ultimately, the need of building workplace readiness prior to seeking employment is of utmost importance,” said Ursula Bhengu-Dlamini, CEO Networx for Career Development.
In the current economic climate, it is essential that graduates are prepared to enter the workplace, possessing key employability skills which will enable them to compete in today’s job market.
The WRP was developed as a response to graduate unemployment. The programme aims to encourage employers who have an entry-level position to use the four months workplace coaching as a recruitment strategy for their entry-level positions.
This project aims to mentor and coach unemployed graduates in order to enhance employability through bridging the gap between studies and the work environment to be better prepared to secure employment.
One of the key characteristics of this WRP is its link with industry demands for specific skills due to the demand-driven nature of the project; there were no specific fields of study needed by the graduates.
The intensive six months Work Readiness Programme was completed in December 2017 and has reported 67% employment at project closure.
