The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies visited the Chrysalis Academy in Tokai, Cape Town where he interacted with the management and the youth that are receiving training at the academy. The purpose of the visit was for the Minster to familiarise himself with the academy and the work it does to empower the lives of the youth in the Western Cape.
Chrystalis Academy will receive funding from the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) to the tune of almost half a million rand to assist with skills development and empowerment of the youth. The funding comes from the Sector Wide Enterprise, Employment Equity programme (SWEEEP).
Minister Davies said that the dti was pleased to be able to contribute to the development of the youth in this academy as part of its initiatives to contribute to youth economic empowerment.
“We are happy that we can support you in the areas of cooperatives development and entrepreneurship which are in our field of expertise. We are looking for programmes that we can finance and support especially those that deal with youth development,” said Davies.
Davies added that government was serious about youth empowerment and skills development and therefore the department would do what it can to support those programmes that will assist the youth to create their own employment and contribute to the economy therefore reducing rates of unemployment in the country.
Addressing the youth that are part of the three months training programme in the academy, Minister Davies said that he would like to see them acquiring the relevant skills.
“These skills will enable you to form your own businesses, be assisted to register those businesses and access grants from the department and participate in the incubation programmes. I want to encourage you to work hard and take the training seriously as it will help to improve your lives and assist you build a better future for yourselves,” said Davies.
The Chrystalis Academy is a social crime prevention and youth development organisation, which empowers young people ‘at risk’ to take responsibility for their personal growth. The academy provides both social and technical skills to the youth aged between 17 and 25 who are unemployed and were unable to complete their schooling.
The Academy trains youth in areas of electrical circuiting, welding, hair salon, carpenting, plumbing and furnisher making and also try to assists in placing them for employment after completion of the training. The Academy has a number of workshops with some equipment which the facilitators use to run different industry related training during the period of training. The funds from the dti will assist the academy to invest in machinery especially in the welding and furnisher making workshops.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe
Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
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