Leading South African law firm Webber Wentzel has enabled Afrika Tikkun to extend its skills development programme to Mfuleni, Cape Town, helping 42 graduates take one step closer towards mainstream employment.

The first batch of students graduated on 22 May at the Zolile Malindi Community Centre. Themba Mdlalose, Webber Wentzel’s CSI manager, says:  “The Afrika Tikkun Career Readiness Programme began in Johannesburg 18 months ago and is designed to give matriculants between the ages of 18 and 35 the confidence they need to enter the job market and secure employment.  We partnered with Afrika Tikkun to extend the programme into the Western Cape because we believe that it is important to contribute to the communities within which we operate.”

Tracey Kotzen Afrika Tikkun’s training and development national programmes manager says:   “There is a vast disparity in the employable skills of rural and township youth as compared with their suburban counterparts. This programme aims to level the playing field by giving the disadvantaged youth greater access to tangible skills and ultimately to employment.”

The  SAQA accredited four-month programme provides learners with computer skills and also covers diversity, time management, workplace etiquette, relevant legislation, language and presentation skills, communication, and many others.  At the end of the course, graduates receive a qualification with a weighting of 120 credits and a separate accredited End User Computing certificate.

“It is as a result of the generous support of Webber Wentzel that we have been able to roll out this programme in Cape Town.  Webber Wentzel also supports our Alexandra project in Johannesburg where we look forward to another 60 students graduating from that programme at the end of July,” says Kotzen.

The next programme will start on 1 June and Afrika Tikkun has a national target to place 50% of the graduates within the first year of them completing the programme.