Limpopo’s Labour Activation Program (LAP) unit at the Department of Employment and Labour, together with Public Employment Services Unit, will today continue with their drive to take services to the people in Vhembe District.

The drive started on Monday and will continue today in Thohoyandou town hall and the Vuwani community hall.

In a statement on Monday, the department said that this comes after the unit identified the district as one of the regions in the province with a high unemployment rate. 

The purpose of the program is to ensure that work seekers are registered on the Public Employment Services database as a pool for recruitment of learners in the foreseen projects.

The programme is currently targeting work seekers and former UIF contributors from the district under the four programs namely: skills development, learnerships, trade test certification and apprenticeship.

The department said some of the learners will be permanently absorbed after completion of their training that will be given once they are matched for opportunities. 

Deputy Director in the Labour Activation Program unit, Mokwale Monar, encouraged the work seekers to not lose hope and believe that through the Labour Activation Program they will together achieve and succeed.

“We are currently having a challenge as a country in terms of unemployment. COVID-19 has increased job losses as some companies have been forced to shut down therefore there is lot of demands for skills development programs so we can adapt into the 21st century and the requirements of the fourth industrial revolution,” Monare said.

He indicated that in terms of requirements, skills development is open to everyone, with Grade 12 as a minimum requirement for the learnerships programme, while Apprenticeship requires N2 or N6 qualifications, and trade test requires N2 and 2 years’ experience in the field.

Monare said that it is in the interest of the officials to leave no stone unturned and to help fight unemployment through the opportunities offered by the LAP project.

Source: South African Government News Agency