Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) creates opportunities for unemployed youth through the national Youth Employment Service (YES) program

Through their involvement in the national Youth Employment Service (YES) programme, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has provided opportunities for jobless youth for the past four years. VWSA just extended a warm welcome to the fresh YES trainees.

Following work preparation training, the YES trainee class of 2022 was formally welcomed to VWSA at the beginning of July in phases. 209 of the 565 trainees who will be engaged in this cohort will work for VWSA at its locations in Kariega, Sandton, and Centurion. The national dealer network and SMEs will hire an additional 356 trainees.

All trainees will be hired for a year, giving them the opportunity to receive valuable on-the-job experience that will help them advance in their careers.

When did the new YES trainee programme start?

President Cyril Ramaphosa introduced the YES initiative in 2018 to make it possible for young people without formal education to obtain work experience. The objective was to increase their prospects of finding a long-term, high-quality job. The company has produced a total of 2,165 chances during the four years that VWSA has supported the initiative.

“With a consistently high youth unemployment rate, initiatives such as the YES program are crucial when it comes to empowering the youth,” said Nonkqubela Maliza, Director: Corporate and Government Affairs at VWSA.

“Our investment in the YES program has in previous years been met with a remarkable drive to succeed from our trainees, and as VWSA we have no doubt that the 2022 group will make the most of this opportunity as well. By continuously investing in youth development, we believe we are empowering the youth to build the futures they want.”