Youth unemployment a threat to sustained economic growth

Youth unemployment a threat to sustained economic growth

The African Economic Outlook Report, 2011 views youth unemployment as the most important threat to sustained economic growth in Sub Saharan Africa.  How do we optimise the quality of economic growth in our region in order to ensure that we benefit more from increased economic activity and growth?  An important factor for success remains appropriate skills development that can be converted into jobs. 

Job Creation Funding

Recent job creation funding made available by government aims at stimulating employment creation.  This will only work with a high level of industry buy-in.  The funding windows and skills development legislation are however not friendly to ‘start-ups’ and small business.  Understandably the risk would be higher in these instances and it will require greater levels of support, coordination initiative, innovation and shear entrepreneurial ‘guts’.  A recent attempt from the SAOGA Skills Office to stimulate the sharing and developing of good ideas for future projects did not have the desired effect, with very few responses received.  We cannot expect change if we are not willing to venture into conceptualising and implementing new projects that will make a difference.  

One has to expand and develop workable models further to ensure that the proverbial wheel is not re-invented every time. The SAOGA Skills Office and its partners have developed the capacity to successfully place trainees in industry.  It is worth expanding from this base.

The next Upskilling Programme

Watch this space and the SAOGA website (www.saoga.org) for details about the next upskilling programme, starting in July.  The Skills Working Group activities continue with great enthusiasm and will inform the direction of the programme to a degree.  The focus of the Skills Working Groups is to gain up-to-date current information about specific skill areas in the Oil and Gas sector in order to inform the training and development of trainees in the industry.  SAOGA is grateful for the many expert participants in the working group sessions. The next upskilling programme will also include some of the popular courses previously offered.  Industry is invited to send inputs and ideas regarding the upskilling programme to AStrydom@offshoreafrica.co.za .

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Initiative

The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) initiative is expected to take off soon.  This is another call for you to help identify potential participants in the RPL project.  The typical candidate may have years of artisan type experience without having completed a trade test.  SAOGA has raised funding to pay for identifying the gaps and developing the selected candidates to become a qualified tradesman/woman.  Chieta is funding the initiative and other SAOGA training programmes.

The Chevron Skills Initiative

The Chevron initiative is taking shape with 20 trainees placed for experiential learning at the refinery.  Chevron US social responsibility funding will pay for SAOGA trainees to attend Northlink College in August this year. 

Increased skills focus on Saldanha Bay

Anticipated industry growth in the Saldaha Bay/Wes Coast area necessitates an increased skills development focus on the region.   SAOGA is working closely with West Coast College, industry training institutions and industry in order to grow the development of Oil and Gas type training offerings in the region.

Train the Trainer development with FET Colleges and industry

Provincial Government is funding an exciting Train the Trainer project that will build on the SAOGA Train the Trainer materials to develop FET College lecturers and trainers.  Whilst the focus of this project will be on Saldanha Bay, the project will reach a lot wider to enhance the quality of FET and industry training outputs, ensuring that the employability of trainees is enhanced.

Without an appropriate pool of skills the benefit South Africa will derive from capital projects and economic growth will remain superficial.  We will continue to see the haemorrhaging of the value of our resources, without developing sustained capacity and real value.