• The local government of Gauteng is looking to launch a wide-ranging upskilling drive this weekend.
• It is looking for over 480 000 participants from underserved areas across the province.
• Little actual information is being offered about the huge drive, but people will be trained in entrepreneurship, ICT skills, and more.

Update:

The Gauteng training drive is part of a larger nationwide plan. Click here to see when your province will launch its training programme for unemployed youth.

We have added the registration webpage.

Over 480 000 young people across Gauteng will be able to take part in an upskilling drive launched by the provincial government this weekend. On 6th April, the Hoi Hoi Gauteng campaign will be rolled out, with government looking to offer training opportunities for people hoping to add to their CVs and find employment.

Amid South Africa’s rampant unemployment – among the worst in the world – and elections looming in May, the ANC-led government of South Africa’s most populous province claims it has “meticulously curated” the drive to address Gauteng’s most in-demand skills.

According to Premier Panyaza Lesufi, Gauteng will be focusing on training unemployed people based in townships, informal settlements and hostels. He is also a fan of Shakespeare.

In terms of what participants will be doing if they join the programme, local government says “By incorporating a wide spectrum of training modules, from basic to advanced levels, the program ensures that every participant can find a path that aligns with their skills and interests.”

Additionally, upskilling will be beyond just technical skills and include soft skills like “critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and adaptability.”

The initiative includes training for those interested in:

• Entrepreneurship,
• Small business ownership,
• ICT and digital literacy,
• Infrastructure,
• Transporation,
• Digital services.

Every training opportunity will be at “low cost or no cost” for participants, will be open to all comers no matter their education levels, available to speakers of 11 official languages, and be inclusive of “differently-abled” participants.

How to register to be part of the Hoi Hoi Gauteng training drive:

To register for the programme, click here.

Instead, the Gauteng government says that registrations will be possible through a variety of points.

This includes online portals, community centres and local government offices which will serve as registration hubs. Come 6th April, these hubs will apparently have “resources” in place to guide applicants.

Mobile units will also be made available in certain areas, where government employees will bring relevant information to people’s doorsteps.

Just like with the solar technician upskilling drive last year, applicants are urged to have their CVs, academic information such as matric certificates or university diplomas and copies handy before applying.

Official sources have a lot to say, but offer little actual information as of right now. We will have more solid details on the drive after it launches next week.