This project helped Technical and Vocational Education and Training College (TVET) students build life-skills and competencies prior to employment, as well as promote a stronger focus on career development and a positive outlook on a future where they can play a meaningful role in society and actively participate in the economy through work, social entrepreneurship, or further studies.

OVSA recruited and placed 100 2^nd-year Technical and Vocational Education and Training College (TVET) students who were completing their National Certificate Vocational (NCV) qualification; a new vocational study opportunity offered at public FET and TVET colleges (Grade 10 to 12/ NQF level 2 to 4) that provides experience of the workplace environment and is intended to directly respond to the priority skills demand of our modern economy. This qualification also provided an opportunity to enter higher education studies, subject to appropriate subject combination – all of which aligned to the US Mission’s strategic goal to promote prosperity and good governance in South Africa by closing the skills gap and mitigating unemployment.

OVSA helped develop a framework of support that included establishing partnerships with NGOs and corporations, training Technical and Vocational Education and Training College (TVET) student volunteers/interns on basic professional skills such as time management, project coordination, organisational skills, and interpersonal skills, developing and showcasing volunteers/interns’ profiles on a new website and searchable database, that provided NGOs and corporations with an interactive platform from which to recruit volunteers/interns for their businesses. This opportunity focussed less on providing employment, post studies; but more on mitigating unemployment. This was achieved by offering students a realistic learning experience while still studying, so that they could develop a deeper and more realistic understanding of what can be expected from the workplace (and vice-versa), once qualified.

In our still fledgling democracy, the shortage of skilled people is one of South Africa’s most challenging socio-economic issues. The ‘wrong people’ for the job and a lack of certain scarce skills within organisations and corporations is one of the most difficult issues to deal with at present. A lack of training and limited capacity negatively affects the productivity and competitiveness of these entities and the country, while skills development initiatives such as volunteering, learnerships, internships, apprenticeships, and recognition of prior learning, have enabled many to move out of poverty, close skills gaps, mitigate unemployment and actively promote prosperity.