This pilot programme is a collaborative effort between the City, the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ORT South Africa and MaAfrika Tikkun.

We are offering companies a highly specialised recruitment service at no cost to the company. Company’s “placement orders” for employees in various departments are being secured prior to a careful selection and training programme co-ordinated by ORT SA.

The project aims to select and train 1500 candidates in a variety of occupations. ORT has begun training Work Readiness Skills to candidates in order to improve their skills and allowing the uptake of students into positions.

The pilot project is testing out the best way to provide employment options for the jobless in Johannesburg. It is making the connection between companies and the individuals on the ground providing them with training needed such as painting, agricultural training, counselling skills, CPR training and work readiness.

ORT South Africa in conjunction with Fasset have put together the CAT Work Readiness programme to empower CAT students and assist them in finding employment. CAT (Certified Accounting Technician) is a bookkeeping qualification offered by ACCA.

This programme is a practical intervention to assist graduates in breaking into the corporate world. The key focus of the course is to provide the extra competence that will close the gap between student and employee.

This course prepares candidates for success, and creates individuals who are equipped to be TOMORROW’S leaders

100 finance students attended and completed the intensive five-week Work Readiness Programme run by ORT South Africa and Fasset, and in association with ACCA.

ORT is currently fulfilling the aim of the course which is to place the previously disadvantaged learners (who have either a B Com or CAT qualifications) in jobs once they have become workplace savvy. This project also helps to address the desperate shortage of accounting skills in the country.

ORT SA is currently busy with student placement which should be finalised by project completion in April 2009. Already 67% of these candidates have been placed.
 

ORT SA in partnership with Fasset, (Financial Services Seta) has trained previously disadvantaged individuals with a tertiary qualification, in workplace skills. The Programme involved recruitment and selection of prospective learners, comprehensive skills training and placement of successful graduates as well as on-going support and coaching.

‘Siyaphambili’ – we are moving forward – is a holistic intervention to make a difference in the lives of previously disadvantaged individuals, by facilitating those who have a financial tertiary qualification with entering the job market and finding meaningful employment.
The course is aimed at improving their personal marketability by training them in vital soft skills necessary for employment in the Financial Sector, as well as in life skills such as goal setting, communication, self-esteem, taking ownership, professionalism, and business language.

The goal was also to enhance productivity in the financial sector by improving competence of potential employees and assist new entrants into employment. Success of our programme depended on 70% of the learners being placed in employment or on learnership programmes within the financial sector.

The ORT/Fasset Debt Recovery Call Centre course is aimed at training Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDI’s) who were unemployed. Benefits included:

• Creating marketable skills relevant to employers.

• Fighting South Africa’s dire unemployment rates (over 40% of the population is currently unemployed).

• Helping stock debt recovery firms that have notoriously high staff turnover.

• Learners were trained and were placed in jobs immediately after the course. The course provided jobs for at least 75% of the participants.

The course content covered:

• Computers - basic skills and typing

• Legal aspects

• Self development

• Debt recovery strategies and terminology

• Communication skills

• Work ethics

• Customer care

• Call Centre skills