With over 9 million young people not in employment, education and training, it’s critical that we identify and scale solutions that clear the roadblocks to employment. One of these roadblocks is the cost attached to looking for opportunities; a study from 2019 reports that young South Africans spend an average of R938 per month, for data, transport and printing. This cost makes job-seeking not affordable for many young people.
Looking at the number of discouraged job-seekers, three out of four unemployed young people have been without a job for one year or longer. But technology offers solutions that, if scaled, could ensure that job-seekers and potential employers can meet each other halfway.
Read more: Roadblocks to Transitions
Youth Capital’s Policy and Learning Manager Mario Meyer and Leanne Viviers Founder from Mintor spoke to Zain Johnson on Cape Talk.
Discussing the current hiring practices, Mario highlighted that employers need to think differently about the way they assess skills.
There tends to be a massive focus on formal education qualifications and formal work experience. Many young people might not have these, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have experience nor skills, including soft skills. Most young people have engaged in volunteering, extra curricular and gained experience in the informal sector. We
Mario Meyer, Youth Capital.
Leanne Viviers stressed the need for employers to include technology as a way of identifying the right talent.
Employers need to think differently about how to recrui. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology such as WhatsApp Chat Bots are tools we can leverage.
Leanne Viviers, Mintor
Mintor is a chat-based workforce employment and development platform, that leverages chatbots and AI technology to automate HR processes and amplify community impact – empowering millions of young people where they’re at, within their WhatsApp chat.
Read More: Mintor’s Impact in Clearing Roadblocks to Youth Employment.
Listen to the interview here.