Hundreds of unemployed youth from Langa and the neighbouring communities converged at Johnson Ngwevela Hall on Wednesday 18 October for a job readiness seminar.
The event was organised by a local non-profit organisation (NPO) Mama Irene Community Enrichment Centre.
The organisation specialises in empowering and educating the community about mental health problems. The organisation also trains youth on ways to react during interviews and how to write a curriculum vitae.
The event was attended by various companies, including Shoprite Holdings, Old Mutual, Empact Group, Sakhile HR Solution, the Department of Labour as well as the University of Cape Town (UCT).
Young people, some from as far as Mfuleni, Delft, Kuils River and Khayelitsha attended.
The founder of the centre, Irene Mbanga, described the seminar as one of its kind in the area. She said the objective is to bring the companies closer to the community and to ensure that they hire young people within the community.
“Unemployment is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. We engaged with some of the companies that are present and requested them to hire some of the children if they have vacancies in their companies. Those (youth) who have their curriculum vitae can now submit directly to the company of their choice. And those who don’t have their CVs with them will put their names on the database,” she said.
Mbanga stated that the seminar is strictly aimed at unemployed youth with matric and those with tertiary education only.
She said it is the first time she is conducting such an initiative. However, the plan is to host it every quarter.
Lungile Koti, Shoprite Holdings Early Careers Development Specialist, described the seminar as an opportunity to showcase some of the career opportunities within the company.
“We have different job levels. Some of the people started at Shoprite as cashiers but because of their experience, they got promoted. Others empower themselves while they are inside the company,” said Koti.
He stated that they have application forms for those who are interested.
Koti said the retailer is targeting people between the ages of 18 to 35.
Olwethu Isaacs (23) from Delft, who has matric, described the seminar as helpful and educational. “Besides anything else just to be with other people, it’s relieving. When you are at home sitting alone you get depressed. We were able to share our experiences and motivate each other,” she said.
Isaacs said she did not know that the interviewee could opt to speak in any language they can freely express themselves.