Luckily | August 8, 2025
The Ministry of Labor encourages young people to go to the DPSA website for employment opportunities.
City Power and Partners announced its Youth Skills Development and Empowerment Program at Reuven's headquarters on August 6th, aimed at benefiting 1,200 unemployed youth.
The program partnered with UNISA Enterprise, African Training College, African Bank and the Department of Labor's Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
This multi-stakeholder initiative is targeted at ease of unemployment among young people aged 18 to 35 with certified electrical skills training and structured corporate and supplier development support (ESD).
The beneficiaries will be introduced on August 8th and split into two groups, with 400 being trained in electrical engineering and 800 being enrolled in a structured incubation program focusing on creating new ventures.
The overall goal is to drive job creation and build sustainable, youth-driven businesses within the energy and infrastructure sector.
Vivi Khoza of the Ministry of Labor (Program) said that through the program they will empower young people.
“The high unemployment rate shows that they are struggling to find jobs. We want to not only train, but also enhance employment possibilities, entrepreneurship, and employment preservation, but also promote its impact. 70% of them are former UIF contributors, while the rest are young people who have never been employed.
Emphasizing the importance of this platform for unemployed youth, Vusi Mazibuko, Deputy Director of Public Employment Services, Ministry of Labor, said:
“This platform helps to access young people and helps them get employees in. There are many challenges, especially with high unemployment rates among young people, and this initiative can truly benefit young people through partnerships with the likes of City Power.”
Lesetsa Matshekga, CEO of UNISA Enterprise, said she is excited to be a partner in this transformational program.
“We are pleased to be part of these stakeholders who have come together to deal with unemployment among young people, and we need to consider multiple solutions to curb unemployment.
Nico Bulma of Africa's Training said they will train young people and put them in the fields of what they need in the market. It is a six-month program and another six months of practical work. He also said that city powers will assist in incubation after completing the program.
This program consists of two parallel streams.
1. Electrical Skill Development: A certified program that includes both theory and practical components.
2. Enterprise and Supplier Development: A 3-Stage Entrepreneur Incubation Stream that provides formal training in new venture creation, business compliance, financial literacy, bidding process, and sustainability planning. The ARM is designed to help 800 young people start and expand their own businesses.
Citypower is embarking on a new journey full of opportunities and is actively involved in the transition of Just Energy. Currently, City Power is building an electric vehicle charging station at its headquarters. It also could convert a fleet of over 400 vehicles into electric vehicles. This is an initiative that creates demand for new specialized skills.
The Importance of Public and Private Partnerships City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava said their biggest role is to ensure development. “Not all young people go to college, so this program has that gap.
We are grateful for this partnership and welcome anyone who wants to work with us. These candidates are well suited to participate in this transformation once they graduate from the program. The urban powers are growing and expanding into new markets. We want to create a pool of young people who are not only technically skilled, but also trained in ESD so that they can start their own business and ultimately create jobs for others. More partners are welcome.
“Together we can build a pool of certified, skilled and trustworthy professionals, as urban power continues to grow, so are opportunities for young people to participate and empower.
Makoshni Kalodi served as board chair for city power and approved the program. He said the training will help implement their program as they are in the process of transforming from electricity to energy companies.
“Disclaimer – the views and opinions expressed in this article are the views of the author and are not necessarily those of the Bee Room.”
