BURGERSFORT – In trying to curb unemployment and ensuring job seekers are recognised the local department of labour invited shops managers to a business meeting.
Bank managers, grocery store managers, managers from clothing outlets and representatives of the office of the premier all attended..
According to Mr Lesibana Kekana, senior employment service practitioner at the department, the aim of the meeting was to find ways to help the unemployed to secure jobs.
“We have a database jam-packed with youths seeking jobs; we want the managers to help in uplifting the community by ensuring our youth are employed. Our challenge is not only unemployment, there are university graduates who are underemployed and need our help. If the managers come to us needing services of cashiers, we will easily pick five qualified people who can work as cashiers and recommend them to the managers.
“We will recommend the most suitable candidates who meet the employer’s needs. The department will help in identifying other opportunities so as to facilitate the entry and re-entry of work seekers into the labour market.”
Kekana said if the employers can partner with the department more youths will get job opportunities.
“We will be recruiting for you free of charge; this will avoid huge amounts of advertising and it is less time consuming. Our core aim in partnering with the employers is to improve the lives of the locals,” he added.
The department’s Mr Luke Hlongwane also outlined services offered at their satellite offices in town.“The department conduct career counselling and -guidance; we also do canvassing to market our job seekers. We coordinate with recruitment agencies.”
The attendees said one of the major challenge facing the youth in was a lack of educational qualifications. They highlighted that learners tend to study courses that offer less job opportunities in the area. They advised learners to study mining and engineering.
Meanwhile Mr Philip Mosima, deputy director labour centre operation of the labour department also told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that the services at his department would improve as they would employ more staff.
Previously locals complained of the poor service at the satellite offices, as well as the long queues and the bad treatment of clients by the staff.
