A ground-breaking programme to address youth unemployment, poverty, inequality and offer international exposure to 5 000 unemployed graduates by 2015 was launched by Ubuntu Institute in the provincial capital of the North West Province, Mahikeng on Thursday.
His Royal Highness, Prince Cedza Dlamini, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder of the Institute said that the initiative will create 1 000 jobs to unemployed youth from disadvantaged rural communities in the first year of its implementation.
Prince Dlamini said that development of human capital through the programme is going to benefit public owned tourism assets like game lodges and position South Africa to be in the top 20 tourism destination markets.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of North West Premier, Mme Thandi Modise, MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, Motlalepula Rosho welcomed the partnership with Ubuntu Institute.
Rosho said that the programme will offer 200 participants from the province international exposure at world class 5-star resorts while they earn about R20 000 a month and raise the standard of the hospitality and tourism sectors.
“The success of the programme and sustainability depends largely on the ability of government owned entities like Dirapeng Investment Holding and Mafikeng Hotel School to ensure that young people who participate in it are fully employed when they complete the placement training,” emphasised Rosho.
Refilwe Modise student at Mafikeng Hotel School who is a prospective participant expressed optimism that the programme will boost the job prospects of unemployment graduates.
“The initiative was approved and funded to the tune of R46 million for its strong partnership involving private sector and government institutions and particularly because it is an innovative idea to make young people more employable,” remarked Xolani Ndungane, Head of Project origination at the Job Fund.
CEO of SA Tourism Thulani Nzima highlighted that the intervention provides bridging gap between theory and practical workplace experience for participants to ensure that the promise of a unique experience is delivered at hospitality value chain.
The Ubuntu International Job placement programme is a unique programme in South Africa facilitating international jobs, internships, learnerships, short leadership development programmes and graduates skills development programmes in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia targeting young people and professionals seeking global exposure.
The national programme is intended at assisting government to meet its target of reaching 5 million jobs by facilitating workplace job placement for candidates when they return to the country at the end of their international exposure programme.
The organisation places unemployed graduates from previously disadvantaged communities in South Africa into 6-12 months internships in the hospitality, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), mining, agriculture, engineering, marketing, legal and financial services sectors overseas.
Key partners to the programme are the National Department of Tourism, Federation Hospitality Association of Southern Africa and the South African Graduates Development Association of South Africa.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 388 3705
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 0866204802
E-mail: LKgwele@gmail.com
International job placement programme boosts youth employment and tourism
Province
