“Young people are capable, when aroused, of bringing down the towers of oppression and raising the banners of freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela ~
In June we celebrated Youth month, commemorating Youth Day on 16 June; and this month, for Mandela Month, we are asked to dedicate 67 minutes to a good cause on Nelson Mandela’s birthday on 18 July. In this spirit, we bring you a feature on a youth who has taken the sentiment quoted above and made it his reality. For Boitumelo Tsoai, Mandela's message related to possible unemployment, and the quest for economic freedom.
Back in 2009, Boitumelo applied to the Banking Skills Academy (BSA) for a Standard Bank Learnership. After graduating in 2010, he worked his way up from junior HR consultant to being an HR consultant at managerial level today. Boitumelo applied for the learnership on recommendation from a friend, and today he counts that “unassuming email” as a blessing.
The youth of South Africa face a wide range of challenges. These include being vulnerable to social problems such as teenage pregnancy, gang violence, crime and drug abuse. The Standard Bank Learnership Programme is an initiative of Standard Bank that seeks to tackle these problems head-on. The programme provides skills development and training in various fields associated with banking and finance for unemployed youth and matriculants from among the broader public. In essence, the programme seeks to bridge the gap between an inadequate formal education system and the workplace.
Since 2008, the Standard Bank Learnership Programme has provided 2 677 participants with opportunities in the fields of Banking and Financial Services, Credit and Risk, Information Technology and Banking Operations. Once they have successfully completed the programme, participants each receive a nationally recognised qualification in the field they have practised in. For participants this opens the door to a brighter future, while for the banking sector it helps overcome the shortfall of young talent.
Do you, or anyone you know, want to be part of this amazing journey of learning, enablement, and empowerment? Then please contact
[email protected] “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great – you can be that generation”~ Nelson Mandela ~
