Estate Living Digital Publication Issue 6 June 2015 | Page 51

Yet, education is not the only barrier.
A good majority of those actively
seeking work are restricted by a limited
disposable income and even more
limited networking base, if any at all.
“Our research shows that, if an employee
spends less than 20% of take home pay
on transport, retention is 85%, but,
when they spend more than 20% of take
home pay on transport, retention drops
to 72%,”explains Tammy.
Harambee gives young South Africans
the tools they need to take their first step
into the workplace, which is often one
taxi ride away. From help with aspects
of punctuality, attendance, behaviour
and attitude to work, to interview
preparation, dress code and digital
citizenship (setting up an email address
and formulating a CV), work seekers are
more than adequately prepared.
Harambee targets young South Africans
between the ages of 18 and 28 (35 in
Western Cape), who have completed
Grade 12 and have not held full-time
employment for a 12-month period. The
organisation uses multiple mechanisms
to recruit, including their Feet-on-theStreet canvassing team, who source
young people within communities as well
as online applications via their mobi site
(www.harambee.mobi). All applications
are screened for the qualifying criteria

at a call centre in Johannesburg before
they then go on to complete a number
of assessments. These encompass
psychometric behavioural testing,
numeracy and literacy designed to
match them to jobs that they are
most likely to succeed in. “Bridging
programmes are work simulations,” says
Tammy. A six-day retail and hospitality
programme simulates a customer
service style work environment and can
have up to 120 work seekers at any one
time, whilst the corporate programme is
designed for those who are better suited
to entry level corporate roles. The eightweek programme has up to 100 work
seekers. The programmes span many
varied modules and are customised
according to the jobs available with over
150 employer partners and can include
typing, voice tutorials as well as cognitive
thinking and problem-solving tasks.
When you consider that a South
African who gets and keeps a job for 12
months or more has an 85% chance of
being employed for the rest of his or
her life, getting that all important foot
in the door or climbing onto the first
rung of the career ladder becomes so
much more important. In solving the
unemployment mismatch, Harambee
is successfully giving the generation of
tomorrow the skills and experience they
need to succeed today and that deserves
a gold star with merit!
For more information, please visit
www.harambee.co.za
www.harambee.mobi.

53
INTEREST PIECE

many of our youth are excluded from the
employment pool,” says Tammy. “We
offer a four-week Step Up booster class
for those students needing additional
assistance in numeracy and literacy,
bringing them to the level required by
employers.”