#7
Bridge the information gap
Youth Capital advocates for ways to bridge the divide between employers and young people.
With the many challenges young people face when attempting to complete their education, it’s time to find other ways of demonstrating their knowledge, skills and experience to employers. Employers also need to be part of the process, and think creatively about how to assess young people’s competencies and abilities. Narrowing the information gap between employers and young job-seekers would be a game changer for young people.
The facts are
- 1 in 10
Young people who have given up looking for work
Source
- 7 in 10
Young people have been looking for work for more than 1 year
Source
I discovered a passion for coding; shortly after, a friend told me about an opportunity at at organisation called Umuzi. They would be recruiting a group of female coders to train for BBD, a leading software company. I decided to apply. Two weeks later, I was invited to an Umuzi bootcamp, which would decide whether I would be accepted to the training programme. After I finished, Umuzi offered me the learnership!
-Ferronique May
RESEARCH
Youth Capital’s Bridge the Gap. Finding the ‘right’ young hire delves deeper into the challenges Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (in government speak SMMEs) experience when they set out to hire and retain young employees According to the national survey run by Youth Capital, the lack of work experience, and skills and abilities deemed as critical stunt the hiring of young people. The research report offers solutions that can be explored to bridge this divide.
What could improved certification look like?
Job search platforms and youth development programmes assist young people to draft a CV that takes into account all their skills, competencies and experience.
Employers, the education sector and the youth development sector work more closely with each other to understand both the demand and supply side’s information challenges and innovate to address them.
Employers learn from one another, and think differently about the recruitment process to value all our skills; not just our qualifications.
We’ve got a plan!
Join over 50 organisations and 15 000 individuals and add your voice and experience to a coordinated response to youth unemployment.
