Our Impact

Youth Employability: Driving Economic Inclusion & ESG Impact

Investing in youth employability is one of the most powerful ways to build an inclusive economy and strengthen ESG outcomes. With the rise of automation and AI, the global workforce is changing rapidly — and by 2030, 1.8 billion youth may lack the skills to participate meaningfully.

The Challenge

• 260 million children are out of school
  
  
• 800 million youth not on track for basic job skills
  
  
• $17 trillion in future earnings at risk due to COVID-19 (World Bank)
  
  

In South Africa:

• 65% of the population is under 35
  
  
• 8.8 million youth are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
  
  
• 52% of NEET youth are women
  
  
• 50% of African youth may be unemployed by 2025 (AfDB)
  
  

Systemic issues include high drop-out rates, outdated curricula, poor career guidance, and weak industry linkages.

The Impact of Youth Programmes

A recent evaluation of a R264 million employability programme (2018–2020) revealed:

• 78% job placement success rate
  
  
• Youth were 1.5x more likely to gain employment
  
  
• For every R1 invested, there was an R8.82 social return
  
  

Real Results: Over 38,000 Placements

Youth placed through key partnerships:

• UIF – 14,685
  
  
• ABSA – 6,010
  
  
• NYDA – 6,000
  
  
• City of Cape Town – 4,050
  
  
• Dell Foundation – 4,000
  
  
• BANK SETA – 2,400
  
  
• Cell C YES – 320
  
  
• Exxaro/South32 – 430
  
  
• Others – 1,200+
  
  

👉 Total: 38,000+ youth placed into work opportunities

Why It Matters for Business

Investing in youth:

• Builds future workforce pipelines
  
  
• Supports ESG, DEI, and HCM goals
  
  
• Drives long-term economic resilience
  
  

In Summary

Youth employability programmes are a proven solution to unemployment and inequality. Every placement counts. Every job changes a life.

It’s time for businesses, government, and civil society to work together — and ensure no young person is left behind.

#YouthEmployment #Skills4Success #ESGImpact #Lulaway #Jobs4Youth #SDG8 #FutureOfWork #PublicPrivatePartnerships

‍