The most recent release from Statistics SA indicates that 7.9 million South Africans face unemployment, with youth comprising a large portion of this figure. In response to the Presidential Commission's Fourth Industrial Revolution for investment in human capital, the Digify General Practitioner Programme (Digify GPs) looks to address the digital skills gap; such interventions can make significant contributions to curbing the unemployment rate.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has brought a fundamental change to the world of work and business and the rise of the gig economy, which has seen many industries accelerating digital transformation efforts. There is an increased demand for digital skills and services now more than ever before. With adequate training, young people can start leveraging these opportunities for economic advancement.
The Digify GPs will provide free digital marketing training over ten weeks to youth in the Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality and Sol Plaatje Local Municipality in the Northern Cape. The programme will take participants through a range of digital marketing practice areas like social media management and digital strategy, including essential entrepreneurship skills like how to be a digital entrepreneur and e-commerce.
“As Stanlib CSI, we are excited to be in partnership for the programme, as we believe improving unemployed youth with the essential digital skills is key, in an increasingly digital world. These skills will assist them in being innovative and included economically." noted Nomaxabiso Matjila, lead specialist CSI Liberty Group.
Once participants have graduated, they will go through a one-year support programme, including training in work readiness to help them thrive in the workplace and a marketplace to link them to work or business opportunities. The aftercare support will aim to ensure that graduates have access to information resources and networks to assist them in navigating the gig economy.
“In addition to driving industrialisation and economic inclusivity, as the IDC, our CSI mandate is mainly focused on empowering and improving the lives of communities and youth, especially in both rural and township areas. We commend and are excited to partner with an organisation such as Digify Africa which has a passion in this space and has done great work in the past to improve the lives of our youth. The intent of our current partnership is to identify young people from the Northern Cape to undergo training in digital skills which will have a measurable impact and enable the candidates to participate in the digital economy,” says Tebogo Molefe, the IDC’s CSI manager.
Applications for Digify GPs are now open for young people aged 18 -35 and will close on 13 May. Interested applicants can apply here. The training will kick off on 20 June and run until 26 August.
