Hon Chairperson, as part of the ANC's intervention strategy to develop exit programmes that capacitate households and communities to empower themselves, nearly 500 young people from Mpumalanga have graduated from the National Youth Service's skills development programme. This is a 12-month artisan programme in various crafts, including carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying, electric wiring, etc.
This initiative is part of the ANC's national programme of multiplying the National Youth Service programme, which has remained a beacon of hope for the unemployed youth in the province. To date, a total number of 1 360 young people has been capacitated since the programme was launched in 2007. The ANC hopes that this programme will be strengthened and rolled out to other provinces.
The programme is aimed at involving young people in contributing positively to the communities in which they live by contributing to the maintenance of public buildings while participating in the artisan training programme. Upon completion of the programme, they are absorbed into the department's workforce while others further their entrepreneurial skills within the enterprise development programme in the province. The skills development programme definitely pays off for the youth in Mpumalanga.