South African youth, technology are “keys” to meeting talent demands
While the young population in South Africa continues to bear the burden of unemployment, acting Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi said that they are also the “key” to meeting the “future of work” demands in the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Future of Work (FOW) ambassadors program, the minister also pointed out that technology could make public service delivery more innovative and versatile.
“Whether we like it or not, we are old and we’re resisting technology, but it has become imperative that we use technology,” he stated.
To improve and modernize the recruitment and retention of youth in the public service, the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), National Youth Development Agency, Public Sector Education Authority, and United National Development Programme officially launched the FOW ambassadors program.
DPSA Director-General Yoliswa Makhasi stated that they aim to use the program to coordinate its human resource processes and improve the modernization and digitization of a public service that is fit-for-purpose and future-fit.
As part of the initiative, the DPSA recruited 33 young graduates to be placed in internship programs across selected national and provincial departments for 24 months.
There, the young people will be provided with practical experience and be capacitated with skills and training, including exposure to international peer learning to complement their academic credentials.
Nxesi added that the FOW ambassadors program “will unlock potential in young graduates to enhance their capacity and to grow them to be future leaders in the public service.”
