City’s Jobs Connect platform awarded for helping Capetonians
21 November 2023
Jobs Connect, the City’s flagship workforce development programme, has received an award from the Tamil Business Warriors, a business networking organisation, for the platform’s success in helping Capetonians to find employment opportunities.
Jobs Connect, which is administered by Leelyn Management, was one of four projects shortlisted for the organisation's Chapter Head Special Award. It came out on top for its use of technology in bringing opportunities to unemployed residents in Cape Town.
'It is exceptionally gratifying for Jobs Connect and the team behind it to be recognised in this way. The City launched this project after I tasked our Enterprise and Investment Department to create an easy-to-use, accessible platform that connected work-seekers with employers. Studies show that with everything that goes into finding a job, from sourcing opportunities to printing out CVs and transport to drop off applications or go to interviews, job-hunting can cost an unemployed person in South Africa up to R1 500 a month. Jobs Connect reduces much of that stress with a streamlined job seekers' application process by creating a user-friendly, low-cost online platform,' said Alderman James Vos, the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
The digital format allows people access to opportunities by mobile phone or desktop and it is data-free for MTN and Vodacom users. Users create an online profile that serves as their digital CV. Thereafter they complete a digital numeracy and literacy assessment. Both the CV and the assessment certificates are downloadable. Thus far, 97 982 people have signed up and been assessed on the platform.
Once registered and assessed, people can go through the platform to see what training and learnership opportunities are available. Job seekers are also able to drill down to opportunities by area. Individuals who are selected for an interview are then automatically notified by Jobs Connect via SMS or Whatsapp.
This was the experience for Capetonian, Eric Kobo. Kobo registered on Jobs Connect in September 2022. A month later, he started a new position as a shift supervisor for a cleaning company.
'I had a good experience using Jobs Connect and would definitely recommend it to others!' said Kobo.
The platform has been equally rewarding for businesses, many of whom don't have the resources to focus on recruitment alongside their other daily operations.
Anthea Mesias, the Western Cape Regional Manager of the Jumpstart training programme at Catalyx social development agency, said her organisation works with the Jobs Connect team to find suitable candidates for their workshops.
'Jobs Connect has been such a good experience. The service is speedy and we've found our collaboration with their team to be quite beneficial,' said Mesias.
Llewellyn Scholtz, the Executive Director at the Genesis CITI I-Can Centre, a training facility in Elsies River said the platform had been very helpful for their students.
'What makes Jobs Connect different from other initiatives is that it's really focused on Cape Town and job-hunters can refine their searches to the areas of the Mother City,' said Scholtz.
How does it work?
Job-seekers register their details online at https://jobsconnect.leelyn.co.za/ and complete a literacy and numeracy assessment, the results of which are added to a digital CV.
For business owners looking for talent, they can also register as an employer by contacting Leelyn Management at info@leelyn.co.za or phone 021 558 1552.
'With Jobs Connect, the City is helping job seekers to source knowledge, training and employment opportunities, and linking businesses with the appropriate individuals that will help them expand their operations. Our mission is to shorten the unemployment queue and with this programme, we are doing just that,' said Alderman Vos.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
