The youths were selected among a group of 317 beneficiaries from Rustenburg who were trained in various skills as part of the Hospitality & Tourism Programme that is being implemented by Zimele as part of the specific skilling programme for youths in our host communities.
In total, 1 316 beneficiaries have completed training as Assistant Chefs, Table Attendants and Assistant Housekeepers, which is offered as part of the Hospitality & Tourism Programme rolled out at various host community sites for Platinum and Kumba Iron Ore in 2022. Zimele is targeting to recruit and train a further 2 970 youths in the next four years.
A total of 789 learners from this programme have been placed in employment and opportunities for large placement of learners outside of host communities continue to be explored.
Beneficiaries selected to hone their skills at 144 Oxford Road were top performers in their class in the Rustenburg group. These beneficiaries will be accommodated by the programme in Johannesburg and will also be receiving a monthly stipend for the duration of their contract, while they receive ongoing coaching and mentorship at the Anglo American premises.
Together with Summit, the programme implementation partner, Zimele is aiming to improve employment prospects of the youth in our host communities, through a variety of youth skills programmes targeted at sectors that have a high demand for jobs in South Africa.
The students receive strong support, including a travel allowance to attend the contact sessions, mobile gadgets to undertake training sessions virtually and work-integrated learning for them to get practical experience on the vocations they are being trained on.
These programmes also assist these youths with the tools needed to set their own goals and identify opportunities towards creating small businesses or becoming employable through mentorship, training, and funding.
There has been an overwhelming need and interest in Zimele’s youth development programmes in our communities. Over the past five years, 1,987 youth have graduated from the Zimele programmes, of which 636 have been employed or are economically active in their communities.
In addition, collectively, 36% of the beneficiaries in the Zimele Enterprise and Supplier Development Programme, are youth.
