South Africa University Student Portal

The City of Johannesburg has launched a R50 million skills development programme – the Jozi Skills Hub – that is aimed at tackling unemployment and providing skills development for the youth.

Speaking on behalf of mayor Amos Masondo, Oupa Monareng, the city’s head of economic development, said: “Through the establishment of the Jozi Skills Hub the city will be delivering much-needed skills programmes that are demand focused as well as supply and demand driven.”

The skills hub, based in Braamfontein, was funded by the city, the Sectoral Education and Training Authorities and the Department of Labour. Department of Economic Development executive director Jason Ngobeni said they were not creating another learning institution but would with existing learning institutions, provide the skills needed in Joburg under one umbrella.

Ngobeni said the hub sought to follow in the footsteps of the “Grow your business” programme working alongside Wits University, which skilled more than 200 informal traders in business training.

The programme is aimed at providing managerial, professional and technical skills to economically vulnerable people such as the youth, women, disabled people and military veterans. These skills will be developed through mentorships, learnerships, volunteering and job placements.

Lavelle Nomdo, programme manager of the skills development unit, said for the first year, they aimed to register and profile up to 2,000 people. Monareng said that they were especially concerned with sectors such as construction, information communications and information technology, transport, and others that have a great need for people with specialised skills.

Article by Sowetan Live