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Rhenus supports skills development

As part of its commitment to skills development and transformation, Rhenus has announced its participation in the Youth Employment Service (YES) Programme, a joint initiative by the private sector and government, towards South Africa's youth to gain work experience through employment placement.

Established in 2018, the YES Programme aims to contribute to the promotion and development of unemployed youth, by providing a quality 12-month work experience opportunity.

From left to right: Romeo Miya, YES candidate; Dirk Goedhart, MD Rhenus South Africa; Muvhulawa Thovhakale, YES candidate; Louwrens Groenewald, warehouse admin supervisor and mentor to Romeo; Charmaine Dickson, admin manager and mentor to Muvhulawa; Nelson Ranaana, YES candidate; Natasha de Kock, air freight manager and mentor to Nelson; Thebe Kganane, YES candidate; Ebenezer Simba, trade lane manager and mentor to Thebe; Praveshnee Naidoo, human resources manager Rhenus South Africa.

For the first phase of the programme which started on 1 March, 15 learners were selected from surrounding communities in six cities across the country: Johannesburg, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, George, and Cape Town. Successful candidates receive a fixed-term employment contract. They will participate in a Rhenus induction and thereafter follow a quality, structured workplace experience development plan. This includes workplace readiness, on-the-job training, mentoring, as well as regular assessments to monitor and track their progress.

Once the candidates have completed their workplace experience successfully, they will be issued with a YES accredited CV and reference letter, which would afford them a better chance of unlocking employment and the possibility of pursuing their career aspirations.

By gaining additional skills and workplace experience, the youth, who are provided with the opportunity to participate in the programme, will be given a “hand-up” as opposed to a “hand-out”, meaning that they would be equipped with work-related skills, instead of just being given financial aid. This will give them the chance to change the course of their lives.

Over the years, Rhenus Logistics South Africa has actively embraced skills development. In 2019 and 2020, 33 young people concluded learnerships. The company aims to implement the YES initiative on an annual basis, to continue contributing to skills development and reducing youth unemployment that has exceeded 50% in South Africa.

Commenting on their decision to participate in YES, Rhenus Logistics South Africa’s managing director Dirk Goedhart says: “We believe that the YES Programme will support youth in their development and tremendously improve their employability. Through this, we hope to play some small role in addressing some of the major social challenges facing South Africa including unemployment, poverty and inequality.

“We are confident that the recipients of YES will continue to excel both academically and professionally, gaining the much-needed skills and workplace exposure to develop into true, well-rounded logistics professionals, closing the skills gap and mapping a successful career,” concludes Goedhart.

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