KIA SA PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT FOR THE YOUTH THROUGH YES PROGRAMME
WOMENONWHEELS / 30 JUNE 2021 - 15.44 / STAFF WRITER
Kia South Africa will be participating in the Youth Employment Services (YES) programme, through its local company Motus. This programme calls on businesses to assist the government in creating a work experience opportunity for many young people countrywide.
According to Motorpress, most of the YES programme learners have been placed in Sales Co-ordinator roles throughout the Kia retail network and head office. This allows learners to gain experience that ranges from customer service, administration, vehicle financing and overall insight into what it takes to run such a business.
“Work experience is crucial as there is a huge difference between a textbook and hands-on experience,” says Pamentha Kadathlal, Human Resources Director at Kia South Africa. “We want to give these learners a variety of work experience so they can discover their passion and start building successful careers.”
Picture: Motorpress
YES to success
Launched two years ago by President Cyril Ramaphosa, YES has already created 51 600 work experiences for unemployed youth. Partnerships have already donated R3 billion into the economy with salaries transferred into the youth worker wallet.
“While more than 8.5 million youth are unemployed, they are not unemployable. A current YES survey that tracks YES alumni has surprised us with exciting results showing that 42% of youth called have been absorbed into employment. This data shows that YES programmes are making youth more employable, despite a lack of formal education,” says Dr Tashmia Ismail, YES chief executive. “What we’re seeing from companies like Motus, which are providing young people with that critical first work opportunity, is that an ability and willingness to train young people on the job, brings energy and innovation into their business. This in turn, triggers an economic ripple effect that helps reignite an economy in which more young people are included. We cannot leave another generation behind.”
The 355 YES youth will be staggered across different divisions of Motus. 63 learners will find their feet at Kia providing previously unemployed youth with a one-year fixed-term contract, a mobile device for ongoing support and training, as well as access to jobs across the group.
In addition, Motus is funding additional opportunities for placement with its Corporate Social Investment programme partners, Unjani Clinics and the Imperial and Motus Community Trust. All roles identified have been specifically created and are not vacancies that would have been filled during our normal employment cycles and, where applicable, will also see South Africa’s largest automotive group provide additional opportunities for youth to obtain driving lessons and driving licences.
“By partnering with and investing in programmes such as YES, we are not only providing an opportunity for those 355 youths, but we are expanding the talent pool for the entire industry, which means we all benefit in the end,” says Osman Arbee, CEO of Motus.
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LINK : https://www.womenonwheels.co.za/news/kia-sa-provides-employment-for-the-youth-through-yes-programme/
Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER