EPWP helps youth see a brighter future
13 June 2023
With high levels of youth unemployment, the City of Cape Town’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) has been working hard to provide valuable income support to those who have not yet been able to find formal employment, particularly the youth. Beneficiaries of the programme are given the opportunity to develop skills and much needed work experience.
Since 2017/2018, a total of 213 761 short-term work opportunities have been created throughout City departments. About 57% of these short-term opportunities (122 773) were geared towards young people.
Short-term employment opportunities have been created in a number of diverse fields including, but not limited to:
- Invasive species control;
- Call centres;
- Auxiliary Law Enforcement officers;
- Traffic wardens;
- Learnerships in various sectors;
- Data capturing;
- Cleaning;
- Community liaison officers; and
- Field workers
'As the recent EPWP awards have demonstrated, the implementation of the City's EPWP project programme is characterised by innovation and prioritises the development of skills. Although the EPWP Jobseekers Database is open to all ages, some projects are specifically targeted towards supporting and transferring skills to the youth, and creating a pathway to future employment at the City or in the private sector.
'Our country's economic growth is stagnating, due to a number of factors. Unfortunately, it is mostly the youth that is not able to gain a foothold in the formal economy who are worst affected. At Urban Waste Management, in the Public Empowerment and Development Department, we are working hard to support young people and empower them to be more easily absorbed into the formal economy,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
