Volkswagen South Africa Forges Ahead by Tackling Youth Unemployment with 565 Trainees in Its Youth Programme

• Volkswagen has a long-term plan to help reduce youth unemployment in South Africa and recently announced the latest intake of trainees
• The 565 youth joined in July 2022 and are part of the German carmaker's Youth Unemployment Service (YES) programme
• The partnership began in 2019, and since then, Volkswagen says 2 165 opportunities have been created for young South Africans

Since President Cyril Ramaphosa helped launched Volkswagen's Youth Employment Service (YES) programme in 2018, it has become a success story in the industry.

According to MotorPress, of the 565 trainees employed in 2022, 209 have been earmarked to be employed at Volkswagen's sites in Kariega, Sandton and Centurion.

The remaining 356 trainees will gain vital experience at Volkswagen's national dealer network and small to medium enterprises. The 12-month-long placement is aimed at providing young people without formal qualifications to gain work experience and ultimately obtain formal employment.

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The light at the end of the tunnel is that over the four-year period, this programme has created 2 165 job opportunities and shows its success.

Nonkqubela Maliza, Volkswagen South Africa Director: Corporate and Government Affairs, says:

“By continuously investing in youth development, we believe we are empowering the youth to build the futures they want.”

Volkswagen’s new South African-built Amarok bakkie breaks cover, set for Mzansi showrooms early 2023

One of the projects some of the trainees might be working on is the introduction of the new Volkswagen Amarok that was recently unveiled, Briefly News reports.

The second-generation Volkswagen Amarok has been revealed to the world and is set to go on sale in South Africa from the first quarter of 2023.

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Volkswagen confirmed five turbocharged engines, four turbodiesels and one petrol, would be available with power outputs ranging from 110kW to 222kW.

The 5.35m bakkie will be built at Ford's Plant in Pretoria and features 20 new drivers assist systems as well as large tablet-like infotainment touchscreens for the first time.

Source: Briefly News