As part of the country-wide Youth Month 2024 celebration, the Coega Development Corporation (Coega) is participating by highlighting its influential youth development programmes. In accordance with the national theme for Youth Month 2024, “Actively Embracing Socio-Economic Gains of Our Democracy,” Coega is proud to assess the outcomes of its skills development endeavours, such as the Coega Maths and Science Programme (MSP), the Coega Skills Development Centre (SDC), and the Coega Internship Programme, among various other initiatives. “Coega’s current implementation of youth-focused skills development initiatives cuts across various aspects of Coega’s business, from internal operations with our Internship Programme, to the Coega Skills Development Centre, as well as our Corporate Social Investment Programme,” says Ms. Mokgaetši Sebothoma, Coega’s Executive Manager for Corporate Services.
Coega’s youth-focused skills development initiatives include the catalytic Coega MSP, which has seen over 1000 learners successfully pass through the programme in the past decade, the Coega Internship Programme, which has helped improve the employability of hundreds of graduates, and numerous projects undertaken by the Coega SDC over the years which have produced qualified artisans and entrepreneurs.
All youth development programmes are implemented in line with Coega’s vision to be a leading catalyst for the championing of socio-economic development, thus enabling beneficiaries to realise their economic potential.
The Coega SDC was established to contribute to socio-economic development through training and ancillary services, including needs-based short courses, learnerships, and apprenticeships.
“The Coega Skills Development Centre is premised on facilitating the transfer of artisanal skills and certifications to enable individuals to earn a living as entrepreneurs, or simply to improve their skills and employability,” says Sebothoma.
To further enhance the employability and entrepreneurial competence of prospective artisans, the Coega SDC also offers national trade tests. To improve its service offering and scope of training, the Coega SDC recently applied to the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations to offer credit bearing and nationally recognised skills programmes ranging from NQF level 1 to NQF level 4, comprising New Venture Creation; Workplace Preparation; Renewable Energy Workshop Assistant; and Bricklaying Assistant.
Sebothoma urges that the Skills Development Centre is solely dependent on funding from various SETAs and partners to execute its training mandate: “We are committed to establishing effective partnerships to amplify our impact and reach in terms of youth development. When training programmes are funded, our Recruitment and Placement Unit scouts the Gateway2Opportunity database for suitable candidates to enroll.
Coega also has a long-term vision to expand the Coega MSP and improve the outcomes of the Coega Internship Programme, and we appeal to organisations who share the same vision to reach out to us to explore strategic collaborative opportunities that will help scale the impact in youth development,” continues Sebothoma.
Coega is the only SEZ developer and operator in Africa that has devoted resources to the pursuit of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers in line with South Africa’s development agenda. In its quest to expand its knowledge in this area, Coega recently attended the science, technology, engineering, art and maths (STEAM) Seminar hosted by the Nelson Mandela Bay University at Kingswood College in Makanda where it became evident that the integration of Arts in STEM leads to creativity and innovation in the STEM Fields.
The Coega MSP is a Corporate Social Investment Programme to help matriculants improve their Mathematics and Physical Science results at no cost. The Programme achieved a remarkable 100% pass rate in 2023, following a 100% pass rate in 2022, respectively. Currently, 92 learners are enrolled in the MSP.
The Coega Internship Programme was established to improve the employability of young graduates through relevant work experience. Through the Programme, Coega provides opportunities for the placement of interns in various Business Units and Programmes across the organisation. Currently, there are 97 interns in the Internship Programme. Other notable projects include the Coega Global Scholars Programme, launched in 2021, to strengthen Coega’s capacity by training recipients at post-graduate level at top-tier global universities, focusing on STEM subjects.
“This Youth Month, Coega is proud to shine the spotlight on youth development interventions aligned to our corporate strategy and vision, and we welcome partnerships with organisations looking to positively impact the lives of young people in our country,” concludes Sebothoma.
