Touching Tomorrow, Today: Youth Employment
As we draw closer to the end of Youth Month, I think it would be appropriate to touch on one of our country's most pressing matters - youth employment, specifically in the ICT sector.
A recent study revealed that the top skills that SA businesses are struggling to recruit for are Engineers (18%) and ICT jobs (13%). There is a talent shortage - not just locally but globally. It is estimated that there are 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide. There is no reason why we cannot fill some of these jobs in South Africa.
According to research company Verdict, low investment in cyber security and immature cybercrime legislation makes South Africa a target for cybercrime, with the country registering the third-highest number of cybercrime victims worldwide. The cybersecurity skills shortage hinders businesses' ability to effectively manage and stay ahead of constantly evolving cyber threats.
Creating Meaningful Cybersecurity Jobs
South African youth are hungry for opportunities to develop skills that will result in employment. They are often unable to access tertiary education due to financial constraints. We believe that we can create meaningful jobs which are highly rewarded and a career path within our SOC (Security Operations Centre). We use a state of the art simulation platform which provides on-the-job training and as you advance to different levels you earn accordingly.
There is a need to focus on digital skills and creating jobs to serve local and global demand and create employment that not only addresses the shortage in Africa but serves the rest of the world. It is our job to prepare the youth for the 4IR.
Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator
Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator is a not-for-profit social enterprise building African solutions for the challenge of youth unemployment. In South Africa, they work with many partners committed to results that can operate at scale, including government, the private sector, civil society, and over 1.5 million youth.
Harambee is committed to changing the system by removing the barriers that keep millions of young South Africans locked out of opportunity. Their vision is of a growing economy and a society that works, powered by the potential of young people.
Impact Sourcing in ICT and Cybersecurity
Much like DSG's impact sourcing solution that drives the education and skills development of South Africa's youth workforce in the contact center sector, a similar opportunity exists in the ICT and cybersecurity sector. We want to address youth unemployment while simultaneously creating the opportunity for key skills development, by implementing a learning-while-earning approach.
Cybersecurity requires a technical skill, networking background and security, but it is not a difficult skill to attain. Currently we are focusing on youth who meet the basic criteria of A+, N+ and S+ certifications but plan to go even further and offer these courses as part of the career path for school leavers who want a career in ICT.
Ultimately, we need to harness technological advances to support a more creative response to some of the world's most complex issues, and we need young people to do that. Touch Tomorrow, Today by eradicating youth unemployment and equipping young people with the skills they need for future jobs.