13 February 2025, Johannesburg: Following yesterday's release of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) Q3 Report showing over 53,379 new earning opportunities created, ALX South Africa reinforces its intensified commitment to addressing South Africa's youth unemployment crisis through digital skills training.

The PYEI report highlights that 1.57 million opportunities have been created since the program's inception, with a particular focus on equipping young people with the skills and resources necessary to succeed in the labour market. Building on this momentum, ALX South Africa, a leading tech-training career accelerator, is providing youths with in-demand tech skills and professional development, particularly in high-growth areas like software engineering, data science, and artificial intelligence.

"The PYEI's success in creating pathways to employment through initiatives like the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund demonstrates the impact of innovative approaches. ALX's model aligns with this vision, creating an environment where South Africa’s young people can network and develop both technical and soft skills essential for the workplace," says Divesh Sooka, ALX South Africa General Manager.

"We're not just training students—we're building futures," Sooka emphasises. "Our approach complements the PYEI's strategy by focusing on demand-led training and sustainable employment pathways."

While the latest PYEI report shows significant progress, South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis remains critical. According to Statistics South Africa's latest figures, over 45% of all young people between the ages of 15 and 34 are unemployed, higher than the national average of just under a third.

“The crisis extends beyond unemployment figures – it begins at the doors of our tertiary institutions,” adds Sooka. A staggering 97% of young South Africans who applied to study at tertiary education institutions this year will be turned away due to limited capacity. This systematic lockout creates a devastating barrier between talented youth and their future careers, regardless of their potential or ambition.

"While the PYEI's initiatives are creating vital opportunities, we must also address the fundamental challenge of education access," says Sooka. "When only 3% of applicants secure university places, we're not just facing an employment crisis – we're facing an education emergency that requires immediate, innovative solutions. This is why ALX's access to digital training has become crucial in bridging the gap between talent and opportunity, offering accessible, industry-relevant training that leads directly to employment possibilities."

Breaking Barriers, Building Futures

"The Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund has demonstrated the effectiveness of outcome-based approaches, with 1,603 young people placed in jobs and 1,247 sustaining employment for three months. Similarly, ALX’s partnership with the Mastercard Foundation enables affordable access to future-fit online courses for just $5, or less than R100," says Sooka.

"The PYEI's latest results show what's possible when we work together. To fully realise our youth's potential, we need to continue developing creative solutions that create opportunities for all South Africans," Sooka noted.

Visit https://www.alxafrica.com/south-africa/ to find out more.