Career awareness initiative launched to ensure more jobs for Chrysalis graduates | Western Cape Government

News

Career awareness initiative launched to ensure more jobs for Chrysalis graduates

18 February 2020

Yesterday 140 Chrysalis Academy graduates attended the first Work Assessment and Career Awareness Initiative hosted at the Imperial Technical Training Academy in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT). The aim of the initiative, which is in a pilot phase, is to bring young people who are looking for jobs closer to companies who have available positions to fill.

At the same time, the graduates taking part in the initiative were asked to complete assessments that assisted them in determining their interest in a particular field, while the companies involved also assessed the quality of Chrysalis Academy graduates to determine their employability following graduation. In this way the initiative will ensure the best fit between graduate and employer to ensure long-term career success. The assessments will also shape future skills initiatives to close the gap between skills development programs and industry expectations and needs.

Young people, who are accepted for placement, will extend their employability through apprenticeships, skills development training or experiential learning that will lead to gainful employment.

Companies involved in the initiative included Imperial Logistics, Golden Arrow and WNS Global, providing the Chrysalis Academy graduates with exposure to both the automotive and business process outsourcing (BPO) industries.

David Maynier, the Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities welcomed the initiative: “Ensuring that the Chrysalis Academy graduates, which focuses on youth at risk, are placed into job opportunities after their one-year job work and skills placement is a key priority for me as part of the Western Cape Government’s Safety Plan.

There are still too many people, especially young people, who don’t have jobs or who have given up looking for job in the Western Cape. Every one of those young people matter to us and so we will be working hard to ensure that every young person living in the Western Cape has a job, because jobs give hope and give dignity to people.” 

Albert Fritz, the Western Cape Minister for Community Safety added, “the Chrysalis Academy is a flagship programme of the Department of Community Safety. For that reason, we are working closely with DEDAT to ensure that Chrysalis alumni are fully equipped to enter the world of work. I wish to commend DEDAT on the exceptional opportunities they provide to young people through their work readiness programme.

Attendees arrived as early as 07:00, despite the programme only beginning at 09:30. It is incredibly heart-warming to see young people so eager to make a difference in their own lives and pursue opportunities available to them.”

Media Enquiries: 

Francine Higham
Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities
(Responsible for the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism)
Tel: 021 483 4327
Cell: 071 087 5150
Email: francine.higham@westerncape.gov.za

Cayla Murray
Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Community Safety
Tel: 021 483 8550
Cell: 064 121 7959
Email: Cayla.murray@westerncape.gov.za