Youth centre a valuable tool

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has praised Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator for contributing to youth employment and skills development.

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Johannesburg - Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has praised Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator for contributing to youth employment and skills development.

The centre, which is based in Johannesburg, screens, trains and places first-time work seekers who are marginalised from existing corporate recruitment networks. Since 2011 it has helped employ 26 000 young people.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, cabinet ministers and the Human Resource Development Council (HDRC) held a meeting at the centre on Friday to look at ways of strengthening the centre.

Ramaphosa said that highly skilled people created jobs, while suitably skilled people could be absorbed into the economy.

“Skilled people can become self-employed and form income-generating entities that sustain livelihoods and expand to provide employment opportunities,” he told reporters at the centre.

Nzimande said following the meeting that the council had decided that the community colleges being set up should work closely with the Harambee institution.

The HDRC said it would encourage business, civil society, the government and labour to invest in education and training, and science and technology.

Labour Bureau