By Bathobile Cele
South Africa’s unemployment rate is one of the highest in the world. This is a national crisis that feeds two of the country’s other big monetary challenges which are poverty and inequality.
Last Wednesday we saw, IT varsity’s Chief Organization Officer, Johanita (Joh) Serfontein, our Academic Manager, Aakifah Hartley and the Youth Employment Service (YES) team, take part in a webinar panel discussion hosted by the SA Chamber of Commerce UK Chairman, Sharon Constancon. The webinar touched on youth unemployment, education and skill sets, entrepreneurship, mentorship as well as the power of collaboration.
Joh often says ” Education is very important if we want to change peoples lives. They have to educate themselves, and that does not mean that they have to have a university degree. I’m all for training but sometimes education is also a short term program or a quick skill you can learn to go offer to companies so one can start generating an income.”
If youth empowerment is something you’re passionate about then this webinar is a must watch. Be inspired by Aakifah’s journey, having participated in the YES program through IT varsity, little did she know that one day she’d be appointed as the Academic Manager, let alone being granted the opportunity to sit on such influential panels to motivate and educate others on the many opportunities available to SA youth
Click on the link below to follow this discussion on ways to alleviate youth unemployment and the role each of us play as a society.
