Eldorado Park locals gain access to education, training and job placements

The Hands of Angels (HoA) recently held a community empowerment roadshow supported by various stakeholders on 78 Sirkel Road, Ext 5, Eldorado Park, on September 12.

The community welcomed stakeholders, hoping to learn about available learnerships, bursaries, internships and employment opportunities.

The stakeholders included Absa, the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (Inseta), SAYouth, the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) and the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

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The HoA chairperson, Angus Mace, said that despite some stakeholders not attending, the HoA was not disappointed.

He spoke of concerns about a lack of opportunities in the community, saying that when these opportunities arose, the same people often did not attend.

“Jobs were made available, and young people could engage directly with stakeholders about placements and applications.”

Inseta representative Kamogelo Sengakana said they were invited to share information with unemployed youth about the programmes funded in the sector.

These include bursaries for learners at technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges, universities of technology, universities, and internships for graduates.

“We also provide funding for short courses and work-integrated learning, where TVET learners complete 18 months of practical training after their theory,” she said.

Inseta also offers the Insurance Sector Student Fund (ISSF) bursary, which individuals can apply for directly on their website.

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Beyond education support, they also fund learnerships and internships with insurance firms, helping young people gain work experience and stipends.

Career counsellor from the DEL, Emberos Semenya, said he offers psychological services to the community, and explained that their work includes doing psychometric assessments when companies or departments recruit, such as for engineers at Ford and BMW or nurses for the Department of Health.

“We also go into communities to inform people about job opportunities available through the department, encouraging them to register on our database and apply.”

“We have employment service practitioners who liaise directly with companies to identify the skills and jobs in demand, so that we can guide young people towards the right careers.”

Semenya added that through their Labour Activation Programme, funded by the Unemployment Insurance Fund, they also retrain people in skills needed in the market, such as IT development, which is crucial in combating fraud and cybercrime.

“We have a resource centre on 56 Main Street, where we display job opportunities across SA and assist those with applications between 7am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.”

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Jonathan Najoe, the events and activations manager at SAYouth, said their programmes connect young people with opportunities, whether through community service, entry-level jobs or self-employment initiatives, adding that young people can easily access these services by creating a free profile on the SAYouth online platform.

Mohammed Sayed from the Absa regional office said they partner with organisations that uplift communities by creating opportunities and bridging gaps.

Sayed and his team helped the community open bank accounts, as opening accounts was vital because it allowed people to receive social grants, secure employment, and build financial responsibility for the future.

Tevern Collins, a Grade 12 learner from Old Klipspuit, said the programme was informative and helpful for him, his peers and others seeking employment, and that the information shared was valuable for learners preparing for the future and unemployed people looking for opportunities.

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Collins added that he found the session useful because he is exploring careers, particularly in IT and business management, but noted he still needed to research the subject requirements to qualify for those fields.

Future events

The HoA’s next event is on October 31. Again, they call on the community, councillors, the SAPS and other stakeholders to attend and participate.
For more information, contact Mace on 078 920 8153 or angusmace5@ gmail.com