06 June 2025 | Story: By:Tayron Mhlongo | Photo: Pater Masela
3 minutes read time.
Of the 4.8 million unemployed youths in South Africa, nearly 60 percent reported having no previous work experience, according to Statistics South Africa. This stark reality underscores one of the country’s principal causes of youth unemployment. However, the Northern Cape and Southern Gauteng E-skills CoLab, under the leadership of Ms Antoinette Lombard, Director of the VUT E-skills CoLab at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), is actively working to change this narrative by equipping young people with critical digital skills for the future.
Against this challenging backdrop, collaborative initiatives involving educational institutions, government departments, and private sector partners are emerging as vital pathways to address the crisis.
On 15 May 2025, the VUT E-skills CoLab, in partnership with Midvaal Local Municipality, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (WYPD), the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA), Human Capital Learning Solutions (HCLS), and TN Ceramics (TNC) Pty Ltd, hosted a certificate ceremony at Meyerton City Mall in Meyerton.
This milestone event celebrated sixty-two learners who completed specialised training programmes in high demand digital skills. The graduates received certification in cellphone repair; Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies including cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), and basic programming; end user computing; and generic management (part qualification).
These practical, industry aligned skills directly address the digital skills gap in South Africa’s job market, where employers increasingly prioritise technical capabilities and work readiness over traditional qualifications.
In his opening address, the Executive Mayor of Midvaal, Alderman Peter Teixeira, emphasised the municipality’s commitment to youth empowerment through skills development. “What these young
people may achieve will not only benefit them and their families, but they will also make a meaningful contribution to our community,” said Mr Teixeira. He urged the graduates to use their newly acquired skills to pursue employment or establish businesses, highlighting the dual pathway to economic participation enabled by such training.
Despite the economic challenges, poverty, and inequality facing South Africa, these collaborative initiatives demonstrate how institutions and companies can join forces to create meaningful opportunities for young people. The programmes have enabled participants to embrace technology with balance, digital literacy, and self-awareness, which are key factors in maximising the benefits of digital transformation while minimising its risks.
The Deputy Minister of WYPD, Ms Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, delivered a profound keynote address: “We do not want you to be part of the statistics. You have got skills, you have got brains, and you are smart.” Her remarks followed a sobering reference to the youth unemployment statistics from the first quarter of 2025.
The Deputy Minister further affirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the National Development Plan’s recommendations, which identify skills development as a critical lever for tackling unemployment and empowering young people for a better future.
As South Africa continues to grapple with youth unemployment as one of its most urgent socioeconomic challenges, expanding and replicating such initiatives will be essential. The collaboration between government, educational institutions, and the private sector provides a blueprint for effective intervention.
