The stark reality of youth unemployment in South Africa is that there are not enough jobs to absorb youth exiting formal education. As it stands, the latest youth unemployment statistics stand at 46.5%, painting a bleak picture for the country’s future generation.
The solution can be found in a combination of informal training on areas that allow income generation as early as possible and creating platforms for entrepreneurship to thrive such as access to networks, clients, systems, and capital.
Black Wolf Youth Agency Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, aims to support youth at tertiary level education in areas of advertising, marketing and technology to gain relevant industry skills to help them with seeking and confirming employment.
Here are three ways we have developed into an education solutions hub to support Africa’s youth and future leaders:
Partnering with learning institutions
Black Wolf Youth Agency Foundation aims to inspire hope and to provide young people in Africa and South Africa within the marketing industry the opportunity to earn an income and start micro-service businesses that deliver value. The core focus is around diversity, inclusivity, transformation and gender equality. The foundation partners with universities across the country and continent to offer learning services tailored to the department needs.
We are also the official strategic partner to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), specifically within the institution’s marketing and work-integrated learning department. The agency operates as an education solutions hub, providing training, mentorship, and placement to university students and graduates from across the country.
Formal learning requires input from industry to evolve and continue to be relevant for employers. The Foundation acts as a consulting arm that facilitates and fosters industry relationships through its networks to deliver training and placements.
Curated programmes
Providing students with access to relevant skillsets is crucial to their advancement in their careers and, as a result, the agency have curated programmes that align with the needs of those aiming to build careers in the field of marketing and technology. One of these programmes is the brand marketing challenge, a digital work-readiness programme designed to offer streamlined work-integrated learning experiences.
It was launched during Covid-19 in response to the lockdown that prohibited 120 students from entering the labour force to gain valuable skills and which is now a recognised programme within the partner university.
Additionally, the Marketing Society programme was launched earlier this year, a networking and workshop mentoring programme designed to introduce youth to conversations and like-minded peers and opportunities. The programme’s activities include industry talks, workshops and events designed to inspire and encourage collaboration, career planning and coaching. Another programme is a startup entrepreneurial hub, which allows youth in marketing to self organise into mini service agency pods that can service real clients for a fee.
An ecosystem of support
The programmes all operate independently but also as an ecosystem to funnel students towards employability. With the emergence of 4IR and 5IR, where technology and humans become more integrated, there will be a growing need for youth in marketing to embrace other tangible technical skills such as coding of blockchain, artificial intelligence, robotics, design and design thinking.
This includes multi-format content creation to fulfil jobs of the future. These skill-sets, when developed, can aid youth in becoming broadly employable to any organisation looking to hire entry level talent. Not only does it offer employability skills but also provides participants with a chance to start projects and businesses.
Black Wolf Youth Agency will look to partner with as many universities across the country and continent to reach students. The relaunch of the website will host information about programmes and create a space where students can connect and apply for opportunities.
Through our board of directors, funders, collaborators and partners, aim to increase our reach and impact goals to serve our community.
Sven Wolf is managing director at Black Wolf Youth Agency. For more information visit us here: Black Wolf Youth Agency, or email megan@blackwolfagency.co.za
