More than 1 000 high school learners attended the City of Cape Town‘s career expo in the Durbanville Town Hall on Tuesday.

Learners, unemployed youth and community members from schools in Durbanville, Fisantekraal, Kraaifontein and Bellville were invited to attend.

Empowering matriculants

The career expos are aimed at empowering matriculants, unemployed youth and members of the community with access to information regarding education, skills development and employment opportunities.

The expo was organised by the City’s Human Resources Management Department under the auspices of the City’s Corporate Services Directorate.

“The career expo brings together various higher learning institutions, government departments, training providers and industry representatives to provide attendees with valuable information, guidance and access to opportunities that could very possibly shape their future careers,” said Theresa Uys, the City’s Mayco member for corporate services.

“Our aim is to ensure that the youth attending connect with the exhibitors and City staff, who are subject experts within the various fields. The networking and connecting is inevitable when one brings together all the key role-players and career information under one roof like this, making it easy for them to explore career pathways,” she said.

Learning and employment opportunities

“These career expos form part of the City’s commitment to creating learning and employment opportunities that enable young people to improve their livelihoods and lift themselves out of poverty. The expo will bring together higher learning institutions, government departments, training providers and industry representatives to provide participants with valuable information, guidance and access to opportunities that can shape their future careers.

“We are excited to offer information and assistance to all our young people,” said Uys.

Various City departments participated and showcased career opportunities available within local government.

City staff engaged directly with attendees about recruitment processes, available development opportunities, and the City’s scarce and critical skills occupations. Through the City’s Jobs Connect initiative, job seekers also had an opportunity to register on the employment database, increasing their visibility for future employment and skills development opportunities.

Diverse group of external stakeholders

The event was supported by a diverse group of external stakeholders, including educational institutions, government departments, and industry representatives.

“The feedback from the youth has been overwhelmingly positive. Many attendees indicated that the expo broadened their understanding of the opportunities available to them after leaving school, which will assist them in making informed decisions about their future studies and careers,” said Uys.

The City’s career expo aims to empower Cape Town’s youth and create pathways towards education and skills development by bringing information, opportunities and support services directly to communities.

Graduate internships

“The City offers a myriad of different opportunities as an employer of choice with over 30,000 employees. These include graduate internships, apprenticeships and learnerships. Through our learnerships, apprenticeships and graduate internships, we aim to offer you the kind of training and work experience that helps you to succeed in the job market and find lasting employment,” she said.

Schools are invited to send Grades 11 and 12 learners to attend these events to find out more about opportunities, possible financial aid, and speak to representatives from both the City and the public sector who are on hand to answer questions.

The City has successfully hosted three other career expos — in Gugulethu, Delft and Brackenfell — over the past financial year.

Building on the success of these events, the City plans to host four additional career expos over the next year and will communicate the host communities and details once confirmed.

Phone 021 400 3434 (choose option 1) or send an email to hrservicedesk@capetown.gov.za for more information.

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