Johannesburg, 29 June 2021: National Government has called on all citizens and corporations to participate in Youth Month by recognising the present and future role of the youth in shaping the socio-economic landscape of the country. The recent unemployment statistics pertaining to young people is cause for concern. The 2020 fourth quarter Labour Force Survey found that about 8,6 million young people aged between 15 and 34 years are not educated nor are they employed

Taking its lead from National Government, Twizza has, since 2016, initiated various development and empowerment initiatives to combat youth unemployment. These include among others, the Twizza Graduate Programme (Work Experience), Internships, Learnerships as well as extensive apprenticeship programmes.

Twizza cares about the communities it operates in and has taken the opportunity to give back to these communities. The proudly SA company does this by providing access to formal learning and workplace experience to local unemployed youth. Twizza has partnered with the FoodBev SETA and has maximised on funding offered by the SETA, whilst ensuring compliance to the Skills Development Act, by providing upskilling and skills development opportunities to unemployed youth.

Twizza offers three levels of youth opportunities:

Twizza Graduate Programme:

This is a post-graduate opportunity that aims to expose newly qualified graduates to a working environment for the purpose of offering them on-the-job experience. The duration of the programme is a year.

Internship Programme:

Twizza offers under- graduate students the opportunity to embark on projects which form part of the practical work-related experience required to obtain their qualification. The duration of the programme is between 6 and 12 months.

Learnerships:

Learnerships at Twizza are work-based learning programmes that lead to an NQF registered qualification. In the last 3 years Twizza participated in both Employed and Unemployed learnerships. The focus of the learnerships has been on Generic Management (Supervisory Skills), Food Handling, Stores and Warehousing as well as Food and Beverage Packaging.

To date, Twizza has enrolled 34 Employed Learners into NQF4 (Generic Management), NQF 3 (Stores and Warehousing) as well as NQF4 (Food Packaging Qualification) to enhance employee engagement and increase employee growth and promotion opportunities.

“We have got to start moving to systems that drive apprenticeships and vocational training from school level because the number of young people hitting 25 with the prospect of lifetime unemployment in South Africa is massive,” says Gwen Francis, Chief Human Resources Officer at Twizza. 

Gwen continues: “The internship programme has helped close the skills gaps within the technical department, ensuring effective succession planning for retirees and current employees while enhancing the technical capabilities at Twizza plants. We have also created employment opportunities for unemployed youth.\

”In the last few years Twizza has recruited graduates and interns across the Engineering, Quality Control, HR as well as Finance Functions. Despite the current restrained economic climate, Twizza embarked on a Youth Employment initiative within the Commercial space where Sales Activator roles were created for newly qualified graduates. A total of 9 graduates were employed and spread across various regions through SA.

The new graduates are exposed to an intense induction programme followed by a continuous learning journey through the e-Learning Platform as well as on-the-Job Coaching in order to set them up for success.  At Twizza, our initiatives provide the necessary support for young people to take on their challenges and win.

Creating more opportunities for young people, and supporting young people to access these opportunities is a priority for Twizza. What we do as Twizza contributes towards improving the lives of young people and help build a South Africa we are proud to be a part of.

More about Twizza:

Founded in 2003 by Ken Clark in the Eastern Cape, the carbonated soft drink known as Twizza opened its second factory in 2012 in Middelburg Mpumalanga, and then a third plant opening in 2015 in Cape Town. Today, boasting one of the most sophisticated production lines in the country, Twizza’s extensive distribution network spans South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique.

Youth Month is special as it provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of helping young gifted South Africans explore new horizons and reach for the stars.

Nokubonga Ngqulunga, a young chemical engineer is one of many whose horizons have broadened thanks to Engen. Reflecting on the significance of 16 June in our country’s history, Nokubonga’s advises the country’s youth to “own” their education: “We grow and learn by the amount that we involve ourselves in, and invest in, the process. Hard work is a pre-requisite to unlocking success.”

Nokubonga grew up in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal and matriculated from Estcourt High School. She then moved to Gauteng to attend the University of Johannesburg where she graduated with a B-Tech Chemical Engineering degree. As a middle child with two sisters, Nokubonga was raised by her mother, a single parent who understood the value of education. “My mom made sure that all of us attended school and did well academically. From a young age I looked up to and admired my mom, she truly is a superwoman.”

This focus on education and a desire to excel led her to the Engen Maths and Science School at Howard Campus from grade 10. “I had my first stepping stone when I was afforded the opportunity to attend Engen’s extra classes in maths, science. I attended supplementary classes every Saturday for three years until I matriculated. The EMSS classes really assisted with exam preparation and work progress.”

After school, Nokubonga was awarded a full bursary from Engen to study at tertiary level. “Education was always a priority in our household,” reflects Nokubonga, “and I think that is why I have never stopped pursuing my studies. I was to attain a BEng (Hons) qualification next and gain as much work experience in different areas of business as possible.” As of May, this year, Nokubonga is a proud Engen Graduate Trainee and works at the Engen Lubricants Blending Plant in Durban.

“It’s only been a month but I have already learnt so much and I’m looking forward to gaining more experience.” So, what is Nokubonga’s secret to success? “I believe that anything and everything is possible if you put in the hard work and believe in yourself. Having a mentor, who is aligned with your life goal is also a good idea as it helps to ensure that your dreams are realistic and achievable. “I motivate myself by always trying to remember the bigger picture and what I want to achieve. It may sound like a cliché but there is nothing more powerful than setting realistic goals and being passionate enough to achieve it.”

By continuing to attract and grow minds and talents like Nokubonga, and to shape the careers of talented graduates, Engen continues on its path shape the future for the better. Helping young gifted South Africans explore new horizons proves once again that as a company, Engen is committed to building tomorrow’s leaders.

As South Africa gears up to celebrate Youth Month, What’s on Your Plate is determined to give a voice to the youth passionate about making a difference in South Africa. In this innovative competition, students are invited to share their big ideas, while cooking up their favourite fare.

Using a digital cooking platform, What’s on Your Plate is an online cookout competition that challenges students to cook a meal using the “student, fridge and pantry” all while sharing their innovative and positive solutions to SA's problems.

The competition is about using food and cooking as a platform to create meaningful conversations around transforming SA. It is about enabling ideas that can shape South Africa and change the negative narrative into a positive solution.

"We are aligning the campaign with Youth Month as we commend SA's future leaders. Creating a platform for the youth to drive the ideas that can shape and transform SA's problems to solutions, is an opportunity to empower the youth' explains JT Comms Marketing Manager Isabel Tapfumaneyi. 

“Entrepreneurship is about creating opportunities and, as we learnt in the Fees Must Fall campaign, students need to be able to create their own economies.  The lack of finances affects students’ ability to sustain themselves and by linking entrepreneurship to youth education we are determined to be part of a solution,” added Tapfumaneyi. 

What’s on Your Plate invites corporates and businesses to partner with them in creating platforms of empowerment and supporting tomorrow's leaders today.

The show will be recorded in a 12 part series profiling 12 student innovators chosen from a national entry submission.

Students can enter by:

• Submitting a 30 second video presenting a teaser of their innovative idea on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Whatsapp
• Entrants will be required to tag BunniesInTheBurbs on all social media platforms using the hashtags 
•  #BunniesInTheBurbs
•  #WhatsOnYourPlate
• 3 finalists will be selected based on best dish and best idea.
• At the grand finale cookout one winner will be chosen based on the best idea and dish. 
• The winner will get R50k worth of prizes

What’s On Your Plate will be available on various platforms:

Youtube Channel JT Comms

• TVjtcomms.co.za/my-product/bunnies-in-the-burbs-bibsbunniesintheburbs.wordpress.com/

About JT Communication Solutions
JT Communication Solutions is a dynamic 21st century PR, Media, Communication and Marketing agency rooted in Africa, with a global reach. The agency is strategically positioned as a link to scale businesses using the media to tell their story. 

About Bunnies in the Burbs
Bunnies in the Burbs is an initiative by JT Communication Solutions launched in August 2016. It is a media digital cooking show about culture, cuisine and conversations and advancing the positive African narrative

Watch ‘Bunnies in the ‘Burbs’

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• Instagram - @bunniesintheburbs 
• Youtube - @JT-TV or https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb5qV6sIqZzawxJ9l8KtNTQ/videos 
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For media queries, interview requests, access to high res images etc please contact JT Comms on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 011 788 7632.Issued by JT Communication Solutions on behalf of Bunnies in the Burbs