Young brokers rise above South Africa’s unemployment challenges thanks to Old Mutual Insure broker development programme
A new group of graduates from the broker development programme shows how skills, mentorship, and opportunity can open doors for youth in a struggling job market.
With South Africa’s youth unemployment rate sitting at a staggering 33.2%, every new job opportunity is a step toward a brighter future.
For 52 young graduates, that step became a reality on October 8 in Parktown, when they proudly celebrated the completion of Old Mutual Insure’s (OMI) graduate broker development programme.
What makes this milestone stand out, is not just the numbers, but the stories behind them. Many of these graduates entered the programme unemployed, uncertain about their futures.
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Today, 42 of them have secured full-time positions, contributing to their households and, in turn, improving their communities’ economic outlook.
The year-long programme, supported by the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority and the Old Mutual Development Trust, focused on mentorship, hands-on learning, and professional development in the insurance industry. For many participants, it was their first chance to gain formal work experience.
Charles Nortjie, managing director at Old Mutual Insure, said the initiative shows what can happen when training and opportunity meet, while highlighting the importance of inclusion in economic transformation. “70% of our graduates are women, which is something we are deeply proud of.”
The Old Mutual Development Trust stated that its decision to fund the programme was based on tangible outcomes, including employment, empowerment, and long-term community upliftment.
Each graduate now supports several family members, extending the impact well beyond the workplace.
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Chief executive of retail Soul Abrahams called the programme a catalyst for meaningful change, saying that it is helping reshape the future of the insurance industry, by giving young people a real seat at the table.
A second group of 20 participants has already begun training, showing that this effort to equip young people with employable skills is only growing stronger.
For South Africa’s youth, it’s another step towards rewriting a national story too often defined by unemployment.
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