YES programme is helping to reduce youth unemployment – Ramaphosa

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

MANY young people in South Africa find it difficult to get jobs because they don’t have any work experience. They come out of school, university or college with qualifications, but many employers are looking for people with experience.
 
That is why, in 2018, we launched the Youth Employment Service (YES), an ambitious partnership with the private sector to address the crisis of youth unemployment. The initiative works with companies to provide work experience opportunities for young people. 
 
Five years later, the YES programme is helping to reduce youth unemployment in very practical ways.
 
To date, YES has placed over 100,000 South Africans between the ages of 18 and 29 in local businesses for a year of work experience.
 
Through YES, approximately R6 billion in youth salaries has been injected into the economy and has enabled participants to support their families.  
 
The YES programme