Letsike Calls on Businesses to Give Young South Africans a First Chance

Letsike said South Africa cannot discuss industrialisation, infrastructure and future economic growth without considering who will build, maintain and improve the systems involved.

South African businesses need to create clearer pathways for young people to move from classrooms and training programmes into real workplaces, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike has said, arguing that industrial growth will have limited impact if a generation of skilled young people remains outside the economy.

Speaking at the 80th anniversary celebration of Aberdare Cables in Johannesburg, Letsike called on manufacturers and other employers to expand internships, apprenticeships, learnerships and graduate placements. Her message focused particularly on the difficult first step into employment, when young people may hold qualifications but lack the workplace experience employers frequently expect.

Aberdare Cables operates manufacturing facilities in Pietermaritzburg, Gqeberha and Gauteng and directly employs about 1,150 South Africans, with additional jobs supported through suppliers and its wider value chain.

TVET Graduates Need Workplaces Alongside Qualifications

Letsike said South Africa cannot discuss industrialisation, infrastructure and future economic growth without considering who will build, maintain and improve the systems involved. Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges are already producing artisans, technicians and other skilled graduates, yet many still need employers willing to provide practical experience, mentorship and an entry point into the labour market.

The challenge is particularly important because youth unemployment exists alongside employers reporting difficulties finding people with suitable skills and experience. Letsike called for stronger cooperation between government, training institutions and companies so that skills programmes reflect actual labour demand and prepare students for positions businesses need to fill.

She encouraged companies to accommodate as many young people as their capacity allows, even when permanent positions cannot immediately be offered, because meaningful workplace experience can make candidates more competitive when they apply for future jobs.

Energy, AI and Advanced Manufacturing Offer New Career Paths

Skills planning also needs to keep pace with changes taking place across the economy, including renewable energy, digitalisation, automation, artificial intelligence, telecommunications and advanced manufacturing. Letsike said young South Africans should not be limited to consuming technologies developed elsewhere but should participate in designing, manufacturing, installing and maintaining them while building businesses across these value chains.

She highlighted a partnership with the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority through which 22 young women from rural areas in Limpopo, North West and the Free State received training in India under the Solar Mamas programme. Participants developed practical capabilities in renewable energy design, manufacturing, installation and maintenance.

Letsike also pointed to the department's work around Fourth Industrial Revolution skills, while stressing that training needs to be connected with genuine economic opportunities if it is to change people's lives.

Companies Asked to Make Youth Employment Part of Their Legacy

The Deputy Minister encouraged manufacturing and infrastructure businesses to participate in initiatives such as the Youth Employment Service programme and collaborate with organisations including Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, giving companies additional channels for bringing young people into workplaces.

Young women and persons with disabilities should receive particular attention as industries linked to energy, technology and infrastructure expand, Letsike said, with inclusion beginning at the stage where skills, experience and career opportunities are being created.

Reflecting on Aberdare Cables' eight decades in business, she praised the company's contribution to infrastructure, telecommunications, mining and manufacturing while asking businesses to think about their legacy in broader terms than production volumes and market growth.

For Letsike, the measure of industrial development should also include how many people gain their first opportunity, build careers and eventually become innovators, leaders and business owners. She called for women, young people and persons with disabilities to become active participants in producing and owning South Africa's future industries rather than remaining on their margins.