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Getting
a university degree is no guarantee that a person will move straight
into a job. Instead, it could prove the most difficult time for a new
graduate. So government set up the Unemployed Graduate Initiative.
Find jobs
This
intiative helps jobless graduates find jobs or start their own
businesses.
The
project was launched jointly with the Umsobomvu Youth Fund last month.
As part
of the project the government makes a list of unemployed graduates
which is forwarded to the Umsobomvu.
Opportunities
This
project is a response to President Thabo Mbeki’s call for a register
of unemployed young graduates.
Umsobomvu has formed the Jobs and Opportunities Seekers’ Database. The
database contains information on jobs, learnerships, practical work,
skills development and business opportunities that are available for
young graduates.
So far,
61 000 young graduates have registered on the database.
Launch
During
the launch of the Unemployed Graduates Initiative, Deputy President
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said companies and government departments would
find suitable candidates on the database.
“Private companies and departments will have an opportunity to select
graduates from different areas and those who were denied opportunities
during apartheid,” she said.
Companies and departments will be able to use the database to place
advertisements on the internet about job opportunities. All candidates
who have registered on the database will have their curriculum vitae
(CVs) checked with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The
Umsobomvu chief executive officer Malose Kekana said the database will
make it easier for unemployed graduates to find job opportunities that
are available through its programmes and partners.
“We
want employers to register the positions they have on our database and
that of the Sector Education Training Authority (SETA). We are happy
because everybody will be a winner,” he said.
Asgi-SA
A few
months ago Cabinet discussed development of young people, as part of
the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative (Asgi-SA). The Asgi-SA
task team, headed by the Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has
been working at how to ensure that the economy grows up to 6% a year
between 2010 and 2014.
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