Learning by doing training is valued by hiring managers.
As a result of the Youth Employment Service (YES) programme, 355 youth will be provided with a one-year fixed-term contract at Motus, the largest retail motor group in the country.
“Motus believes the corporate sector has a real responsibility toward skills development in South Africa. By partnering with and investing in programmes such as YES, we are not only providing an opportunity for those 355 youths, but also expanding the talent pool for the entire industry. In the end everyone benefits,” said Motus CEO Osman Arbee.
A recent YES research report, titled Covid-19 Employment Survey, noted that one year of general work experience is found to somewhat compensate for the lack of a university degree, with this effect substantially improving when experience is gained in a related field. These findings highlight that hiring managers value “learning by doing” methods of training.
The value that employers place on related work experience suggests that assisting youth with early streaming, interest identification and ideal fit could accelerate their employment journey and shorten unemployment spells, according to the research.
The YES programme was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2018 and aims to help make young people more employable, despite a lack of formal education or lack of work experience. It has, thus far, created more than 53,000 work experiences.
The 355 young people will be placed across Motus’s four key business segments and will also be provided with a mobile device for support and training and access to jobs across the group. This will assist in building important skills and include roles such as sales administration, warehouse picking clerks and entry sales cadets.
Motus would also provide opportunities for youth to receive driving lessons and apply for driving licences, it said.
Motus is also funding opportunities for placement with its corporate social investment programme partners, Unjani Clinics and the Imperial and Motus Community Trust.
The JSE-listed automotive group employs over 16,000 people globally, holds 20.2 percent retail market share locally, and is the exclusive South African importer and distributor of Hyundai, Kia, Renault and Mitsubishi vehicles, panels and parts.
It has a footprint in the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as a limited presence in South East Asia and Southern and East Africa.
