by Hugh C.n. Miller | Feb 22, 2021 | Old News
Nedbank and ORT SA “Make Things Happen” for Unemployed Youth Through Their YES Program
Actions speak louder than words.
A profound, if stern, proverb that tells us what someone does is always more telling about their character than what they say. The Nedbank YES Programme, in collaboration with ORT SA, strived to exemplify this mentality.
It was one of many YES (Youth Employment Services) programmes in the country aimed at providing employment opportunities for the country’s youth.
In this article, we will briefly cover how their plan turned promises into reality and ended up making things happen in the lives of many young people.
The Nedbank YES program started in May 2019 and ended in April 2020. Nedbank, in collaboration with ORT SA, had one goal for their programme: to provide employment opportunities for 400 young people. As with any big undertaking the programme faced many trials and tribulations, but overall it was a great success for both organisations.
What People Had to Say
Khabiso Matlanyane, a beneficiary of the programme who’s now a fulltime businessman, had this to say: “It was a great experience. All the organisations involved went far and beyond to meet our needs. The level of professionalism was way beyond my expectations.”
Khabiso also praised the various opportunities and skills the programme presented him with, saying: ”There are various skills that I’ve acquired through the program. First, I now know how to work and communicate with children. Second, I can diagnose technical issues in the workplace & lastly, I’ve developed an attitude of having a good work ethic in the workplace. Currently, I’m a self-employed general dealer. As an agency, we focus on distribution, tutoring and recruitment.”
Mphumeleli Ndlovu, another beneficiary turned businessman, had this to say after securing a job placement because of the program: “The overall experience was life-changing and impactful because the principals and teachers went out of their way to teach me as many lessons as possible. It has inspired me to invest in people from similar situations as a means to empower young people like myself and make meaningful changes to others around me!”
Mr Ndlovu went on to start his own business, called Allure Water Co, and he attributes his success to the skills and exposure he received from the programme.
Conclusion
It is becoming increasingly clear that to resolve South Africa’s persistent socio-economic problems, big businesses need to step up to the plate and do their part to create meaningful change.
As Martin Luther King Junior once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
The YES Programme was a great step towards empowering the country’s youth. It’s only through uplifting the lives of individuals that we can truly start making things happen.
By Milani Falitenjwa
by Hugh C.n. Miller | Feb 22, 2021 | Old News
The Digital Workplace Readiness Program by Absa and ORT SA: Fighting Unemployment by Equipping the Youth With Relevant Skills
With the unemployment rate sitting at 30.8% in South Africa, the youth are facing more challenges in finding employment than ever before. This is due to the devastating effects that the coronavirus has had on the South African economy. ORT SA, in line with its mission of making people employable, ran the Digital Workplace Readiness Program sponsored by ABSA at the end of 2020. The program focussed on helping the youth acquire digital skills to enable them to find a job in an evolved digitized workplace.
In this article, we try and unravel the impact that this program has had on the youth.
The Digital Workplace Readiness Program
The Digital Workplace Readiness Program was a three-month program that started from September to November 2020. The program’s purpose was to remotely upskill and educate unemployed youth by using globally recognized educational platforms (such as Cisco, WHO and LinkedIn). Besides, ORT courses provided film making, graphic design and work readiness training. The program managed to recruit, a staggering number of 396 individuals in a short period. Despite the various challenges throughout the program, the students diligently completed their tasks.
What People Had to Say
Victor Sibusiso Ndlovu, a beneficiary, had this to say about his experience with the program: I didn’t know that this program could bring about some abilities that I wasn’t aware of initially. I’ve improved my graphic designing skills, project management skills, and communication skills. I did various courses, and I’ve gained a lot of experience. It is the most incredible program that I’ve joined this year, and I’m looking forward to more opportunities.
Thenjiwe Sibiya, one of the program’s facilitators, had this to say: “Students showed much dedication and commitment, they grab the opportunity with both hands. Some students went the extra mile and did more than the required courses.”
Conclusion
In partnership with ABSA, ORT SA is proud to impact youth involved in the programme, as various institutions have already employed some of the youth due to their newly gained skills. Without fail, this program has educated people for a better life.
by Milani Falitenjwa
by Hugh C.n. Miller | Feb 22, 2021 | Old News
Photo by Robo Wunderkind on Unsplash
ORT and ORT SA’s Mission to Uplift Education and Teach Relevant Skills (Like Coding) to the Youth
How can we make today’s education curriculum relevant and up to date?
Some argue that while the many industrial revolutions and overall technological advancement have changed the way we do business, the education sector hasn’t caught up. When one enters a classroom today, it’s not too different from how (and what) we taught the youth in the 19th century when they were entering manufacturing and production driven workplaces.
The History of ORT
That’s why ORT, an educational NGO, was established in the midst of the 2nd Industrial Revolution. The goal has always been to evolve the nature and methods of education delivery so that they stay aligned with the technological changes facing our societies.
When ORT was established in 1880, it catered to the needs of the community and the job place, providing handicraft, agricultural and vocational training. It included courses such as teaching grain sifting, using knitting machines, auto mechanics and engineering courses. ORT’s goal has never changed, and to this day it remains to ensure the financial sustainability of communities, through education and skills development. ORT, through its 140 years has established schools and operations in over 60 countries specialising in STEM education and promoting entrepreneurship.
So when one wonders how to go about education in light of the transformation brought about by the 4th Industrial Revolution, it is natural to look at the worldwide network of ORT. Many schools in ORT’s network have incorporated coding and digital skills in their curriculum, enabling project-based learning through the incorporation of design thinking and problem-solving.
ORT in South Africa (ORT SA)
In South Africa, ORT SA has rolled out coding clubs in government schools attended by thousands of learners and assisted with building the educational capacity of hundreds of teachers since 2015. We teach people how to code, think analytically and think critically, along with technical skills relevant to today’s job market. Learning coding languages, application and website development also encourages teamwork, collaboration and finding solutions to community challenges proactively and innovatively.
To get education relevant and up to date, we need to transform the way we teach and adjust the curriculum we teach to our new generations accordingly. Coding and digital skills must become part and parcel of our curriculum, ensuring our youth are ready for the digital workplace.
To learn more about ORT SA you can go to www.ortsa.org.za
Or email helene@ortsa.org.za for BBBEE solutions
This article was written by Ariellah Rosenberg, ORT SA CEO
by Hugh C.n. Miller | Feb 22, 2021 | Old News
The Liquid Telecom and ORT SA YES Program Tackles Youth Unemployment in SA
Author, Matshona Dhliwayo once said, “Today’s tears water tomorrow’s gardens.”
One might say this adage hearkens back to the more common proverb that things get better over time, but there’s more to it than that.
In South Africa, we are plagued by a persistent pandemic of a different sort. A crisis of unemployment and a lack of education that festers like a disease at the heart of our society.
But it’s not all bad news. We’d like to highlight how upskilling and educating the youth can change lives and begin to bring an end to this issue.
The Liquid Telecom YES (Youth Unemployment Services) Program
The Liquid Telecom YES program, in collaboration with ORT SA, started on the 28th of February 2020 and will be ending on the 28th of February 2021. The purpose of the program was to uplift 32 young individuals by teaching them Office Administration and computer literacy skills. The program faced numerous setbacks due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic, but the outcome was still an overwhelming success.
The program consisted of one year of work experience where the youth were placed in schools where they underwent Google Computer Science Facilitation and learned about Office Administration amongst other workplace roles.
During the course of the program, the young participants were exposed to a wide array of courses including Microsoft Office skills, Work Readiness skills, Introduction to Coding and the internationally recognised IT Essentials by Cisco course. All of these courses were designed not only to educate participants but also to prepare them to work in today’s fast-paced technological workplace.
What People Had to Say About the Program
Omphemetse Neethline Khuduge, one of the beneficiaries, had this to say about her experience: “The Liquid Telecom project has changed me a lot. I have become more of [sic] a different person than I was two years back. I obtained knowledge that will help me as an IT Technician.”
When asked about the project results thus far, Junior Project Manager at ORT SA Rivario Abrahams had this to say: “Firstly, this project has changed the youth’s thinking ability and I feel that they have gained a lot of knowledge in the twelve months of this program. Some of them have learned to invest their money, and others have opened their small businesses. It was a great experience managing the project and the youth.”
Conclusion
In the same way, uneducation and employment can be thought of as a pandemic eating away at our country, we also have a “vaccine” against it. We need to uplift and equip young people with the skills they need to take control of their own lives and work towards a better tomorrow.
By Milani Falitenjwa
