The North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has expressed confidence in the measures employed by his administration to address the growing concern of unemployment amongst the youth, women and people with disabilities across the province.
This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Mokgosi and Oupa Nkoana of Construction SETA at the Mmabatho Palms in Mahikeng on Wednesday.
“Over 4,000 young people, women and people with disabilities across the North West are expected to benefit from a three-year programme which will harness their skills to enter the job market,” said the Premier.
Mokgosi highlighted that the MoU seeks to expand access to accredited skills development programmes within the construction and built environment sector, by increasing participation of vulnerable sections of society in learnership, apprenticeships, internships, and artisan development programmes.
“We appreciate Construction SETA for recognising the potential of our province and for partnering with us in advancing skills development initiatives that will improve the lives of our people,” remarked Mokgosi.
Meanwhile, speaking on YOU FM Newshour, Mokgosi’s spokesperson Sello Tatai said the initiative forms part of the provincial government’s ongoing efforts to tackle unemployment.
“It will be confined within the built environment sector to assist the province address unemployment through skills development in architecture, civil engineering, town planning, quantity surveying and construction management among others. Through the creation of strategic partnerships with various stakeholders in the skills development sector, the province seeks to empower the most vulnerable strata in the province to participate meaningfully in the economy,” explained Tatai.
According to Tatai, the provincial government has identified the construction sector to drive the provincial economy and create jobs as stated in the Growth and Development Strategy.
“As the Provincial Government, we are deeply concerned by the high levels of unemployment affecting our communities. Women and youth often encounter limited access to economic opportunities, while persons with disabilities remain underrepresented in skills development and employment programmes. This MoU demonstrates our shared commitment to changing this reality,” explained the spokesperson.
Tatai’s sentiments were shared by the Administration of Construction SETA, Nkoana, who highlighted that the “collaboration aligns with the priorities of government to build a capable workforce, stimulate economic growth, reduce poverty, and promote social inclusion.”
As the province forges ahead with this initiative, Mokgosi has implored government departments, municipalities, industry partners, training providers, and community organisations to work together to ensure that the intended beneficiaries are reached and supported.
