The Gauteng Provincial Government has called on young people to attend the fourth instalment of the Youth, Jobs, Careers and Entrepreneurship Opportunities Expo that is currently underway in Johannesburg.
The expo features live demonstrations of several workplace environments, provides career guidance as well as tangible opportunities such as internships and learnerships.
“Youth Month is in full swing at the Nasrec Expo Centre. Entry is free, there are pick up points all over the province and you can get information on www.gauteng.gov.za,” Gauteng provincial government Chief Director: Tshepo 1Million, Jak Koseff, said on Saturday.
He encouraged young people to visit the Tshepo 1Million village set up at the expo to learn more about the programme. Tshepo 1Million is aimed at empowering one million young people through skills training, job placement and entrepreneurship development which will in turn help the youth find sustainable jobs.
The Gauteng government also urged families to bring their children, learners in Grades 10 – 12, youth out of school, unemployed youth and graduates, and young people seeking inspiration and opportunities, who are not yet sure about their career choices.
The youth expo programme includes exhibitions, dialogues, workshops, theatre and cinema as well as sports activities.
It forms part of the provincial government’s commitment to respond to the development of young people in the province. The expo is multi-racial and multi-cultural and showcases exhibitions and artists from diverse backgrounds.
Exhibitions
Approximately 115 exhibitors from the private and public sector will be on hand to provide information and services on careers, jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities.
“Young people can also look forward to services such as obtaining matric certificates, applying for bursaries, assistance with registering a business, applying online for admission, health screening for HIV and Aids and diabetes, amongst other things.
“The Department of Agriculture will provide veterinary services for young people to bring their pets for check-ups and injections,” the Gauteng Provincial Government said.
Dialogues, seminars and workshops
The expo will also feature more than 30 dialogues on various topics, including the Gauteng Province Exco Youth Summit, the annual Nelson Mandela Memorial Lecture, Premier David Makhura’s face–to-face with professionals and Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi’s face–to-face with unemployed youth.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela will also be there to host his weekly BackChats, which are a series of roundtable discussions with students from different campuses around South Africa to not only give students an ear, but to urge them to find solutions within themselves.
“The underlying message of the BackChat is that youth voices must be heard.”
Young people attending the expo can also look forward to financial literacy, inspired youth, young women’s dialogue, cyber security conference, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) seminar, broadcast and online workshop, teenage pregnancy summit, RCL summit and many more. –SAnews.gov.za
