Question NW1627 to the Minister of Employment and Labour

Share this page:

24 June 2021 - NW1627

Profile picture: Nxumalo, Mr MN

Nxumalo, Mr MN to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour

Whether his department is considering implementing programmes to equip recent graduates with support to enter the COVID-19 job market, considering the changing prospects of new job seekers who graduated during the pandemic; if not, why not; if so, how has his department intervened in the fight against increasing youth unemployment at a time when some companies are shutting down?

Reply:

Yes, we are implementing programmes to equip recent graduates, other youth and people who have lost employment to re-enter the labour market under the current Covid-19 environment. The Department through its various entities, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), the Compensation for Occupational and Injuries and Diseases Fund (Coida), Public Employment Services (PES), Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), as well as Productivity (SA), all have programmes that are assisting these affected groups to enter the labour market.

Through the more than 126 labour centres the Department, daily provides assistance to work seekers to access the labour market. Work seekers, can register on the Employment Services System of South Africa (ESSA), and get access to many job and training opportunities that are posted by prospective employers.

The Department helps them to compile CV’s and also provides employment advise and were necessary even counselling from trained psychologists employed by the Department. They provide valuable life skills advise, psychometric assessments and career interest assessments.

During the period ending 31 March 2021, the Department registered 938,505 work seekers, provided counselling to 246,454 work seekers and was able to place 37,193 work seekers into employment or training opportunities. This is in addition to the 169,717 job opportunities, created through the stimulus packages that was made available by the Treasury to various government Departments.

Source file