YeBoneers supported to take the next step at annual YearBeyond Career Fairs

Just under 700 young people from the YearBeyond Programme benefited from the annual YearBeyond Career Fairs which took place on 05 and 10 November 2021 at UCT Business School Conference Centre and Pearl Valley, Val de Vie Estate.  The fair is the penultimate step in the YearBeyond Pathway and Progression Curriculum which supports the amazing young people who have given up a year to serve their communities before they start their next journey.  

The fairs brought together 50 providers in two venues. There were representatives from TVETs, private colleges, bursary providers, finance providers, employment intermediation agents, retail, BPO agents, education, public sector, health and community development partners all committed to providing young people with opportunities to work or study. The youth were able to access talks on how to find the perfect job and to optimise jobs searches, to practice their zoom interview skills, to get expert input into their CVs and, most importantly, to network with key industry players.  

After attending the Cape Metro fair, Clinton van Rooyen, YeBoneer in the Academic Support Programme in Bishop Lavis, shared his thoughts: “Being in a world filled with negativity and dismay it is important to realise that our world is so much bigger than our problems. The career fair provided a platform for open-mindedness and opportunity. It sparked a flame in me. I now want to bring my best to everything that I do.”

YearBeyond is a transversal youth service programme which aims to provide young people between the ages of 18- to 25 with meaningful work experience, personal and professional development, a pathway to further studies or work, while encouraging active citizenship in their communities. YearBeyond or YeBo provide much needed services to our most vulnerable communities.

Jacqui Boulle, Head: Youth and After School Programme Office, in the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS), explains: “The YearBeyond Programme provides much needed work experience to the youth. Experience alone is however not enough for most young people to successfully progress into the economy. They also need help identifying career pathways, building interview skills and building their economic networks. As YeBoneers finish their time on the programme, they are given an opportunity to meet industry players and bursary providers at the annual Career Fair.”

It is this combination of work experience, mentorship, a carefully curated curriculum and access to networks that has enabled over 75% of YeBoneers to successfully transition into studies, work or a combination of study and work each year.

After attending the Winelands fair, Siwaphiwe Bangiso, a YeBoneer from the YearBeyond @Homelearning stream, was filled with optimism. “The career fair was amazing. It was highly informative as I got a chance to ask things that I did not know. I went to all booths and now I can share the information with my peers confidently with the correct details. I also feel optimistic and ready for my career and work adventures.”

The year ends with a graduation where the youth will receive that all important reference letter highlighting their skills and achievements while on the programme.