South Africa’s youth unemployment is a major national challenge that needs urgent and coordinated responses to address it. A young person’s entry into the labour market has life-long implications for their career opportunities and maturation. This is the reason why Mechanical Rotating Solutions (MRS) has contributed to 100 scholarships to previously disadvantaged and unemployed youth through iCOLLEGE.
“Education and prior work experience play an important role in the labour market with employers preferring to employ those with previous work experience and a higher level of education. South Africa has among the highest youth unemployment rates globally, with 58% of 15-24 year olds not in jobs, education or training.” Says Franscois Steenkamp CEO of MRS.
Accelerated by the COVID 19 pandemic, the alarming rise in youth unemployment and the equally disturbing high levels of young people who work but still live in poverty show how difficult it will be to reach the global goal to make significant inroads in unemployment by 2030 unless we all play part increasing our efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth and decent work. “MRS is committed to the young people in South Africa and especially those from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds that is why we decided to partner with iCOLLEGE and invest in the future of South Africa’s youth.”
Founded in 1997, iCOLLEGE is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) as a Private Further Education and Training College and offers 12-month SETA Accredited Courses. Students qualify for the programme if they are South African citizens, from the ages 18 – 27 years and are currently unemployed. As part of the iCOLLEGE Programme, all students are employed in terms of a fixed-term contract for 12 months where their employers are approached and sourced by iCOLLEGE.
Having already made significant contributions to its Corporate Social Investment program through its own NPO Charity Define, Mechanical Rotating Solutions currently form part of more than 300 companies, including Multi-Nationals and SMME’s participating in the iCOLLEGE programme.