“The programme is contributing to employment creation while the economy takes time to recover and create jobs at the scale we need,” he said.
“As we pursue economic growth to deliver decent and sustainable employment at a much larger scale, we will continue to build on the success of the Presidential Employment Stimulus and expand its reach.”
Ramaphosa said the programme was needed to complement recovery of the jobs market.
“It supports economic recovery in important ways.”
In the context where a lack of work experience is a major barrier to finding employment, the programmes are providing high-quality work experiences, he said.
For example, in the largest programme supported by the stimulus, nearly 600,000 young people had been placed as school assistants in more than 22,000 schools.
He said school management, teachers and other stakeholders agree the contribution from assistants has improved the learning environment in many schools.
Ramaphosa said in the creative sector, which was particularly badly affected by the pandemic, support was provided to people to create jobs for themselves and others.
“The movies, music and plays produced are able to generate further income from the sale of rights, tickets and royalties. All this has been contributing to the growth of the sector.”
The Presidential Employment Stimulus has also supported sustainable livelihoods with more than 140,000 subsistence farmers receiving production input vouchers to assist them to resume and expand production after the disruptions of Covid-19.
The programme is also supporting graduates, with opportunities provided to nurses, science graduates, artisans and others.
Ramaphosa said 26 universities were helping to place unemployed graduates in work relevant to their qualifications, while the department of science and innovation has introduced innovative citizen science programmes.
He said while the pandemic has abated, unemployment has not.
The president said the incomes earned in Presidential Employment Stimulus programmes have been an economic boost to small enterprises and informal businesses in local economies across the country.
“Our task is to expand and deepen the impact of this work.”
Ramaphosa called on businesses to hire young people who gained work experience through the programme.
“Once employers see the Presidential Youth Stimulus as a place to find young talent, we will be able to realise the full potential of this innovative and hugely successful initiative.”
TimesLIVE
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Ramaphosa lauds Presidential Employment Stimulus, saying it has reached a million participants
Image: GCIS
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Presidential Employment Stimulus programme has reached the milestone of a million participants since its inception.
The scheme was launched in October 2020 to create jobs and support livelihoods as part of supporting economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Writing in his weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa said the achievement was due to a collaborative effort across government and wider society, including the private sector, community-based organisations and others.
“The programme is contributing to employment creation while the economy takes time to recover and create jobs at the scale we need,” he said.
“As we pursue economic growth to deliver decent and sustainable employment at a much larger scale, we will continue to build on the success of the Presidential Employment Stimulus and expand its reach.”
Ramaphosa said the programme was needed to complement recovery of the jobs market.
“It supports economic recovery in important ways.”
In the context where a lack of work experience is a major barrier to finding employment, the programmes are providing high-quality work experiences, he said.
For example, in the largest programme supported by the stimulus, nearly 600,000 young people had been placed as school assistants in more than 22,000 schools.
He said school management, teachers and other stakeholders agree the contribution from assistants has improved the learning environment in many schools.
Ramaphosa said in the creative sector, which was particularly badly affected by the pandemic, support was provided to people to create jobs for themselves and others.
“The movies, music and plays produced are able to generate further income from the sale of rights, tickets and royalties. All this has been contributing to the growth of the sector.”
The Presidential Employment Stimulus has also supported sustainable livelihoods with more than 140,000 subsistence farmers receiving production input vouchers to assist them to resume and expand production after the disruptions of Covid-19.
The programme is also supporting graduates, with opportunities provided to nurses, science graduates, artisans and others.
Ramaphosa said 26 universities were helping to place unemployed graduates in work relevant to their qualifications, while the department of science and innovation has introduced innovative citizen science programmes.
He said while the pandemic has abated, unemployment has not.
The president said the incomes earned in Presidential Employment Stimulus programmes have been an economic boost to small enterprises and informal businesses in local economies across the country.
“Our task is to expand and deepen the impact of this work.”
Ramaphosa called on businesses to hire young people who gained work experience through the programme.
“Once employers see the Presidential Youth Stimulus as a place to find young talent, we will be able to realise the full potential of this innovative and hugely successful initiative.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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