The South African government is calling on the private sector to enhance internship opportunities for recent graduates. During a gala dinner in Johannesburg hosted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Nomalungelo Gina stressed the urgent need for businesses to engage more young people in internship programs.
With youth unemployment in South Africa reaching an alarming 62.1 percent, Gina emphasized the critical situation facing the nation”s young population. “We need every employer in the private sector, municipalities, and state-owned enterprises to double their intake of young graduates each year. The future of our country depends on it,” she stated.
The gala marked 20 years of the HSRC”s graduate internship program and celebrated the achievements of 131 graduates who recently completed their two-year training at various institutions across the nation. Gina pointed out that since its inception in 2005, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation”s Graduate Internship Program has provided workplace experience and research skills to over 7,600 unemployed graduates. Notably, 91 percent of these interns were from Black backgrounds, including African, Coloured, and Indian demographics, while 68 percent were female and 2 percent were individuals with disabilities.
Gina acknowledged the contributions of the more than 200 institutions that have hosted interns as part of the program, urging graduates to leverage their networks and stay proactive in their job searches. “You are no longer graduates without experience. Use your networks, stay visible, and show initiative. As the African proverb says, the earliest bird catches the fattest worm,” she concluded.
While the efforts of the HSRC are commendable, the stark figure of 62.1 percent youth unemployment illustrates that much more needs to be done. It is evident that addressing this pressing issue requires a collective effort across all sectors to help graduates gain the necessary experience to successfully enter the job market.
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