Hopes of Government-trained unemployed youths dashed
After training by Government, unemployed hopefuls have nothing to prove their training and experience.
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH- Its seven months later after the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) held a job fair south of Johannesburg with the promise of assisting job seekers get employment.
A young lady, who was contracted by GDE as part of their ESSP (Extra School Support Programme) basic training, told CHRONICLE that she fears the life of unemployment nearing the end of the contract on May 31.
“If the ESSP has been a successful programme, and now that the contract is ending on May 31, I see myself as an unemployed youngster,” said the concerned Ms Mokoena.
Her comment was posted in an article published on www.comarochronicle.co.za on October 2, which referenced Gauteng MEC of Education Barbara Creecy speaking on the success of the ESSP initiative.
Ms Mokoena said that the fact that no proof of experience will be provided to them by the GDE after the conclusion of the ESSP training, has her worried that she will have nothing official to prove to potential employers that she received training. Leaving her with an unanswered question as to what she will have that will make her employable.
At the Job Fair held at Wembley Stadium, the young hopefuls were transported from collection points around Johannesburg townships by buses organised by the department. Many attendees expressed a feeling of unease upon the approach of the end of their temporary employment contracts.
Because after months of training, their fate lay in the hands of 40 prospective employers working in partnership with the Education department, whether they would walk away with solid job prospects or with empty promises.
MEC Creecy said at the job fair that the ESSP programme was the education department’s response to President Zuma’s call to provide opportunities to unemployed youths.
The department’s spokesperson at the time, Gershwin Chuene, said that one of the most significant factors in youth unemployment was social marginalisation that isolates job seekers from work and training opportunities. “This Job Fair aims to assist young people to overcome isolation by linking those who have already had work experience in GDE to prospective employers.”
Chuene added: “Forty different employers and training institutions exhibited at the Jobs Fair, including some state owned enterprises, FET colleges and government departments. Participants were expected to benefit through development of their résumés and apply for jobs best suitable for their careers.
Qualified workers were expected to use ICTs to seek for jobs, not only in the country, but all over the world. Workers were also exposed to different careers at the event with the purpose of matching their talents with what was available in the job market. Others received career guidance at workshops, which were conducted to assist the workers to make the correct career choices and equip them with knowledge to be able to apply for jobs at the exhibiting companies where there were vacancies, and to receive professional development opportunities.”
