The disconcerting reality is that while half of South Africa’s population is under the age of 30, a mere 40 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 25 are employed. This was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which had a disproportionate effect on young people and employment. While the country realigns after that pandemic, there is another, more chronic and significant contributor to youth unemployment, and that is the mismatch between school-leavers skills and those required by employers.

While literacy and numeracy remain problematic in the SA education system, it is the decline in soft skills, problem-solving, networking and leadership that remain concerning. If addressed could improve job prospects. Addressing this misalignment between acquired skills and employer needs is crucial for improving job prospects.

Through conversations with young South Africans who recently secured employment at a BPO contact centre, it became evident that initiatives like the Boomerang Learnership programme are instrumental in bridging the gap between education and employment. Despite the obstacles, their stories reflect resilience and determination to enter the workforce.

Gabieba Rykliff, 22, discovered the Boomerang offices after she visited the local home affairs office next door. The fortunate coincidence resulted in her registering with the BPO’s Learnership programme and securing permanent employment as a Bae (agent) in Boomerang customer service.

Asked about the mismatch that can occur between school-leaving skills and those required by employers, she says: “That’s so true, I noticed this in the interviews I attended. Also, there was a steep learning curve for me in getting comfortable over the phone. It was fortunate that I had the benefit of the Boomerang Learnership to prepare me.”

Gabieba reflected on the current state of youth unemployment in Cape Town, saying that in her view many young people are unwilling to start at the bottom and work their way up, that they want the high salary on day one. This could possibly be another unfortunate consequence of too much social media, in that young people see the results and influencer hype but not the work put into achieving those results.

Mbhali Singile is 22-years-old and has just begun working at Boomerang, this “being her first job ever,” she says with enthusiasm. She continues: “It was very difficult looking for a job, it took months and I found the experience draining what with the lack of responses. I also found that getting past the ‘you need experience’ hurdle was difficult, which is why the Learnership at Boomerang was so useful. It lowered the bar to getting that essential experience and prepared the way for a job in the contact centre.”

Mikaiel Jacobs is another young person who found his way into permanent employ by joining the Boomerang Learnership programme.

He too found entry into the working world challenging, having started out in retail, which seemed to him the only available option. Mikaiel says: “It’s hard to pursue a vocation straight out of school with the opportunities in South Africa.”

He too made use of the Learnership to get a foot in the door as it were, and is now employed in customer service. Mikaiel’s advice to other young people just getting started is: “Stay motivated, keep applying and don’t get overly worried about whether you get a reply or not. Just get one door open and another will open for you.”

He echoes the comments of others in saying: “There is definitely a gap between what is learned in schools and what is asked for in jobs.” That is especially so in the contact centre environment, where soft skills are paramount to good performance.

In conclusion, addressing youth unemployment in South Africa requires a multifaceted approach that focuses on enhancing both technical and soft skills among young people. Initiatives like apprenticeships and learnership programmes can provide valuable experience and better prepare individuals for the demands of the job market.

Additionally, there needs to be a shift in mindset among young people regarding entry-level positions and the importance of gaining experience to advance in their careers. By aligning skills with employer needs and fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, the youth of South Africa can unlock greater opportunities for meaningful employment.

To apply to become a Bae at Boomerang see vacancies and apply here: https://boomerangbpo.com/about-us/

And for other resources to learn about BPO and how it is supporting youth unemployment in South Africa, visit:

BPESA

CapeBPO

Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator

City of Cape Town

Writer: Bob Jean-Jacques

The Boomerang Open Day event was aimed at unemployed youth, says Farhaana Safar, Campaign Manager and Recruitment Specialist at Boomerang. It is a key focus area for Boomerang to provide a platform for passionate, young job seekers to explore various career opportunities and connecting them to such opportunities in a fun, dynamic, ever-growing company. At the #BoomerangSA Career Open Day, attendees heard from different campaign leaders and teams within the company about the different BPO jobs available at Boomerang. Those in attendance also got to learn about various aspects of customer service directly from the baes.

The Open Day sessions were structured to enhance participants’ understanding of the company, equipping them with the necessary information to pursue a career path that suits them.

Additionally, representatives from departments across the company were present at the event offering their perspectives and looking out for suitable candidates to grow their own teams.

This event created an opportunity for BPO job-seekers to network with professionals and discuss potential career paths. Additionally, the open day provided attendees with an opportunity to showcase their personalities to the HR team at a fast-growing company looking to recruit young talent.

Speaking about the success of the Career Open Day, Farhaana Safar said; “The open day was a smashing success! When hiring online, we typically assess candidates based on their CVs and experience, which can sometimes cause us to overlook individuals with fantastic personalities but little experience. However, the open day allowed us to seek out top talent based on their personalities and the positive energy they exuded. It was incredibly rewarding to see that many of the individuals who made it through our first round of interviews were those without extensive experience. With a tremendous turnout, we managed to meet with every single candidate. This just proves that the top performers in any company often begin their journey from square one”.

The BPO industry has a significant positive impact on South Africa’s employment market and accounts for billions of Rands in revenue from foreign countries like the USA, Australia and the UK – as South Africa continues to be a cost-effective, high quality solution for BPO services to overseas companies.

Boomerang being at the forefront of the industry is able to  consistently create jobs and learning opportunities with its internal policies, which are all geared towards offering young people a fun, working environment that offers career growth and personal development.

Skills learnt in BPO jobs – for example, customer service roles, like communication, active listening, problem solving, patience and adaptability (to name a few) are essential in crafting professionalism across industries and jobs.

By hosting events like the open day Boomerang stands firm in its purpose to help young people grow and learn through exciting work experiences that can kick-start their careers and ultimately, make meaningful strides in reducing youth unemployment in South Africa.

For more info on Career Opportunities at Boomerang visit our About Page