Over 3000 Gauteng youth benefit from GCRA – Lulaway internship programme

A partnership between the Gauteng City Region Academy (GCRA), an agency of the Gauteng Department of Education, and leading youth employment engine, Lulaway has opened doors for over 3,000 young people, offering them work experience through paid internship programmes in private companies in Gauteng.

“Since the beginning of 2018, almost R15 million in stipend funding has been dispersed to interns. This partnership has assisted over 3000 young jobseekers since the collaboration began in 2016,” says Lulaway CEO, Jake Willis.

GCRA CEO, Mr Rufus Mmutlana says the mandate for the GCRA is skills development for both the public sector and the youth of Gauteng.  The role of the Academy is therefore, to contribute to socio-economic transformation. Working with Lulaway on the private sector placement project, the GCRA provided internship funding for youth residing in Gauteng.

“Through skills development partnerships such as the one with Lulaway, we are pleased that many companies have offered employment opportunities to our youth in various industries, as we strive to reduce the unemployment rate in Gauteng Province,” says Mr Rufus Mmutlana.

With almost 2 million youth out of work in the province, the highly successful project continues to be a beacon of light for the participants. Rueben Chauke, age 26 years from Cosmo City says that he is extremely grateful to have found employment at Cartack.

“I had been looking for a job with all my heart for the longest time. When I eventually got it, I felt like the luckiest person in the world. Everyone wants to be employed. It’s not nice to wake up and not have a purpose or have to worry where your next loaf of bread will come from. But with the internship programme, I know that I have a job to go to, and come month end, I have a paycheck,” says Cartrack general worker, Chauke.

Thandu Maku, aged 32, lives in Alexandra describes life as being very hard before he began work as an intern at Kevro.

“Before the programme, life was very difficult because I was struggling financially and couldn’t get myself through school. When I was selected as an intern at Kevro I was very excited because it was something I had always wanted to do – working in the graphic design and art space. The fund from the programme is assisting me to pay for my marketing course,” says Maku.

Glacia Mahlangu, age 22, also lives in Alexandra and says that having a job, allows her to provide for her child.

“When I landed the job at Krispy Kreme, I was so happy. Lulaway really are the best. When they first tried placing me in the GCRA programme, I wasn’t available. But they didn’t give up on me. With the money I receive, I can take care of my family, my son and myself. I wish to commend the work done by the GCRA and Lulaway, for investing in the youth such as myself. I wish they may continue to help others as well, because it allows them to stand on their own two feet,” Gloria Mahlangu says.

Employers involved in the initiative include Bidvest Protea Coin, Stallion Security, Roco Mammas, Cartrack, Krispy Kreme, KFC and iTalk financial services.

“This showcases the real impact that can happen when funding is channeled towards the right sources. Internships are the best mechanisms for job creation, but implementation in the private sector requires a trusted reliable partner. It’s not about reinventing the wheel, but about actualizing funding which has already been allocated. This partnership serves as a model of what is possible for our youth when collaboration occurs, and we look forward to seeing more of this with the YES initiative,” says Lulaway CEO, Jake Willis.

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