26 March 2015
The Telkom Foundation today implemented job hunting training for Tembisa youth to give them the basic skills they need in order to access job applications.
The Telkom Foundation, including approximately 200 staff volunteers, assisted Tembisa youth (aged between 18 and 35) to write up CVs, set up free email addresses, and access job sites using their cellphones.
Participants received a memory stick with an electronic copy of their CV and certificates and a print out of their email login details. Future Talk sessions ran throughout the day with speakers such as Bongi Silinda, Idols 2014 runner-up and Themba Khumalo, the managing executive of Brand for Telkom SA. The talks provided motivation for the attendees and imparted basic skills such as interviewing techniques.
"We live in a digital society, and it's become increasingly difficult for jobseekers to access opportunities if they're not online," said Jacqui O'Sullivan, Managing Executive for Group Communication at Telkom.
"Many young people grow up in communities where many people do not have access to the digital world. As a result, often they don't know how to go about applying for jobs they may well be qualified for. We believe that this initiative could be exactly what beneficiaries need in order to change their lives," says O'Sullivan.
The Telkom Foundation's primary objective is to contribute to the transformation of disadvantaged communities through sustainable social investment programmes, particularly in the education sector.