Massive training of unemployed to transition into employment set to roll-out nationally

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Massive training of unemployed to transition into employment set to roll-out nationally - Minister of Employment and Labour

12 April 2024

Employment and Labour Minister, T.W Nxesi said the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Labour Activation Programme (LAP) to provide training for employment and entrepreneurship programmes is up-and-running and is set to be rolled-out in other provinces.

Addressing an employers’ breakfast session at Kempton Park Civic Centre today, he said South Africa finds itself in the throes of an ever changing technological era and this calls for adaptation.

“We are living in a technological era. This massive training will now need to be implemented on a large scale to multi-skill the unemployed, so as to adapt to the ever-changing world of technology,” Nxesi said.

Minister Nxesi a week ago announced that the Department of Employment and Labour through the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s LAP has launched a R23.8-billion programme to fund the training for employment and entrepreneurship programme.

The Minister said that the crime ravaging the country was threatening its stability and noted that government needed to partner with private sector to counter the threat. He said government was intent to help business, especially small enterprises as the “big employer is small business”. He appealed for partnerships at district level to ensure integrated interventions as part of District Development Model.

He said that it was unacceptable that Gauteng as the country’s economic hub had a high unemployment rate and this situation could be even worse in other provinces.

During the employer breakfast session, a number of service providers were handed their certificates confirming their participation in the training to employ programme and entrepreneurship development.

Small Business Development Minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrams who shared the podium with Nxesi reiterated the role of partnerships. She said the National Development Plan (NDP) envisioned the creation of 11 million new jobs by 2030 and that most of these should come from small business.

“The only way to make South Africa to work is to grow small business. We have to also look at developing new industries. We are continuously advocating for more incentives to be given to business, especially those geared towards promoting small business,” she also said the informal businesses also needed to be supported to transition to formal business.

The employers’ breakfast session was held alongside the Jobs and Careers Fair which was held at Rabasotho Community Hall, Tembisa. This event is part of an initiative to engage with individuals seeking employment, providing them with the opportunity to interact with potential employers and gain insights into crucial career paths.

For more information, contact:

Teboho Thejane

Departmental Spokesperson

082 697 0694

Teboho.Thejane@labour.gov.za

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Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour