By Dr Izimangaliso Malatjie
The public service is often perceived as cumbersome and complex. In response, government has introduced targeted programmes to better prepare young people for careers in the public sector and the broader world of work.
As the country marks National Youth Month, two key initiatives—the Breaking Barriers to Entry into the Public Service (BB2E) programme and the Cadet Programme—are empowering graduates with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to thrive in public service roles.
Offered by the National School of Government, the five-day BB2E course and the 18-month Cadet Programme are designed for graduates with post-school qualifications, as well as interns in public sector departments and statutory bodies.
Addressing graduate unemployment
Graduate unemployment, particularly among those with post-school qualifications, continues to rise at an alarming rate. As one of the country’s largest employers, the public service has responded by creating opportunities for unemployed graduates through the Public Service Graduate Internship Programme, along with the BB2E and Cadet initiatives.
These programmes aim to equip graduates with practical skills and an understanding of how the public sector operates. They cover essential areas such as administration, communication, and job-readiness, providing a critical steppingstone toward meaningful employment.
This is a vital investment in youth development and capacity-building for the future of public service.
About the BB2E Course
The BB2E course introduces young participants to the structure and functioning of government. Key focus areas include: delivering quality public services; administration and management of public funds; performing basic administrative and communication functions; understanding policies guiding recruitment into public service; crafting effective CVs and interview preparation.
The orientation programme is underpinned by values and principles found in Chapter 10 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, (1996). It is aimed at orientating participants to the public service, how the public service is organised and the way the public service functions.
About the Cadet Programme
The 18-month Cadet Programme, a complementary initiative to BB2E, goes deeper by exploring the broader public sector landscape and touching on social entrepreneurship. It consists of four key modules: 1) The Constitution and the Administration of the Public Sector 2) Ethics in the Public Service 3) Writing for Government and 4) Personal Mastery.
The Personal Mastery module is particularly well-received by young people as it equips them with essential employability skills relevant in both public and private sectors, including: self-management; emotional intelligence; job search techniques; critical problem-solving; entrepreneurship and job creation.
Shaping the public servant of the future
These programmes aim to shape a new generation of public servants—cadres with a unique and progressive mindset. The ideal public servant is:
• Innovative: Able to turn policy into effective action.
• Inspirational: Motivated and capable of motivating others.
• Exemplary: Committed to high standards at every level of work.
• Resourceful: Sees opportunity in challenges, not excuses.
• Impact-driven: Focused on tangible outcomes that meet public expectations.
• Collaborative: Values partnerships, teamwork, and stakeholder engagement.
• Accountable: Takes ownership of service delivery outcomes.
Recent successes
In the 2024/25 financial year a total of 1465 young people undergone training on the BB2E programme. While 4145 were trained on Personal Mastery and 1668 of these young people were part of the Youth empowerment and development programme within the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE).
In the current financial year, a total of 570 young participants from the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC), an empowerment programme under the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, completed the Personal Mastery course.
Feedback from both participants and departmental officials has been overwhelmingly positive and have requested that more young people undergo training on this programme.
As the NSG, we strongly encourage departments and government entities at all levels to enroll their interns and young professionals in the Cadet Programme. Together, we can build a more capable, ethical, and responsive public service through empowering one young person at a time.
Enrolment
For enquiries and enrolment relevant officials in departments should contact The National School of Government call centre on 0861008326, via email on contactcentre@thensg.gov.za or visit the website on www.thensg.gov.za.
*Dr Izimangaliso Malatjie is the Chief Director for Cadet and Foundation Management at the National School of Government.
