The University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) has hosted seven of 14 planned training sessions at its Innovation Hub in Parow, reaching 50 unemployed young people over the past two months.

The sessions form part of the Youth Unemployment Entrepreneurial Training Programme (YUETP), which the CEI runs with the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSeta) to address youth joblessness through training, business development and seed capital support.

Broader intake

CEI director Abe Oliver said the latest group included not only UWC alumni but also honours students from Stellenbosch University, graduates from the University of the Free State and BTech graduates from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

“We have a wide range and interesting mix of youth forming part of our current incubation programme for unemployed youth, the Youth Unemployment Entrepreneurial Training Programme (YUETP), which is indicative of the need for job opportunities for our youth in this country.”

Participants range from matriculants to postgraduates, with preference given to those already running side businesses. Oliver said participants were selected based on whether they had an interest in business, with those running existing ventures given priority.

“With this programme, we refine and support these businesses,” said Oliver.

Programme outcomes

Oliver said South Africa’s youth unemployment rate stood at 45,8% in the first quarter of 2026, climbing to 60,9% among those aged 15 to 24. Tackling those figures required training but also needed to inspire hope.

“The YUETP has three tangible outcome pathways for participants to consider, namely further education, employability and entrepreneurship. It offers young people not just hope, but tangible opportunities to build sustainable futures.”

The programme also builds social capital through networking and ecosystem support to help participants sustain businesses beyond the training period.

Results from 2025

The programme was first launched in 2025, when 32 participants completed it. That prompted an expansion to 50 participants this year.

A follow-up poll of the 2025 group, conducted this year, found that three participants were running registered businesses, while five others had secured full-time employment while managing their own ventures. Two had progressed to the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) for grant funding, which Oliver described as a milestone in preparing young people to access external resources.

“It paints a story of resilience and growth,” said Oliver, “many of the 32 participants have taken bold steps to shape their future, demonstrating that with the right support, unemployed youth can transform challenges into opportunities.”

He said businesses that had gone through the programme maintained contact with the centre and contributed ideas for its improvement.

Looking ahead

While some participants remained unemployed or struggled to sustain their businesses, Oliver said the report on the 2025 intake underscored the need for continued mentorship, networking and enterprise support.

Oliver emphasised that ecosystem partnerships were essential to helping young people envision a better future, and said the CEI valued its partnership with W&RSeta in addressing youth unemployment.

As a spin-off from the YUETP, the CEI plans to launch a Graduate Mentoring Incubation Programme aimed at meeting the needs of graduates.

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