How to bounce back from retrenchmentRetrenchment has become a reality for many young South Africans. Major industries such as construction, mining and banking have had to cut huge numbers of jobs, leaving many out of work. In tough economic times, the youth have the benefit of being tech smart and hungry to learn. The main challenge they face, is figuring out how to turn adversity into opportunity. © alphaspirit – 123RF.com “Young people with access to a computer and the internet can market their experience, learn new skills and even create jobs for themselves. Getting a job is no longer a case of knocking on doors, trawling through newspapers and waiting for replies, it’s about standing out from the crowd. Demonstrating tech savviness and initiative will get you a foot in the door,” says internet entrepreneur and head of local hosting company 1-grid, Thomas Vollrath. Employability is about honing your core skills, increasing your ability base and marketing these self-improvements in an effective way, to the right audience. Vollrath offers the following advice to young people struggling to find permanent employment:
“The internet is a place of endless opportunities, if you know how to create them,” says Vollrath. “With the variety of online tools available, it’s easy for aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners and job seekers to establish an online presence and create opportunities for themselves.” |