Province’s youth to benefit from R100m investment
MORE than 70 unemployed matriculants from the Eastern Cape have been placed in learnerships at the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ).
The R2 million learnership programme forms part of a massive training initiative, which is being driven by Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela.
Through this programme, Balindlela aims to place 72 youths in jobs in the manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure development and tourism sectors.
The overall cost of the programme is about R100m.
It is funded through the Labour Department’s National Skills Fund over a period of three years.
The chief executive of the ELIDZ, Simphiwe Kondlo, said the initiative would help make the region more attractive to investors.
“All development initiatives in the world started with robust skills development programmes. In order to be a dominant player, South Africa not only needs to develop its tangible assets, like infrastructure, but its intangible assets, such as skills, as well,” he said. Kondlo said 40 of the 72 will be placed in positions with various automotive suppliers in Buffalo City.
Ten of the youth will be placed in artisan positions such as fitting and turning, while 22 of them will be taught welding skills.
South Africa is currently facing a skills shortage, especially in basic technical skills. This shortage was especially highlighted in the light of the anticipated boom in construction activity in the run-up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup that is to take place in South Africa.
According to previous reports, the government needs to train 50000 artisans by 2010 – requiring an annual increase of 7500 artisans. This projected figure is more than double the number of students in higher levels of schooling.
Brian Haviland from TFM Manufacturing, where some of the learners have been placed, said he was grateful for the initiative.
“Skills shortages are a major challenge, not only nationally but in the Eastern Cape as well.
“We will bring students in for practical and theoretical experience with the eye on permanent employment.
“If they cannot be employed, hopefully we can create entrepreneurs out of them,” he said.
Head of human resources in the Office of the Premier Hein Luiters said about 17 companies have volunteered for the programme, that will run over three years up to 2009.
The matriculants were selected from the labour department’s database of unemployed persons.
Other projects in the province that will benefit from the programme are the Coega IDZ, district municipalities and the new PG Bison plant that is being constructed in Ugie.
“If the programme is successful, it will be extended beyond 2009 to other economic sectors,” Luiters said.
Director-General at the Premier’s office, Dr Sibongile Muthwa, said the programme is structured in such a way that critical and scarce skills will be developed through providing on-the-job training skills that will equip youth to enter the labour market.
Mutwa added that the programme aimed to develop a skills pool for the province’s projects run by the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa. These included the Umzimvubu River Basin project.