In partnership with experts in career skills, job seeking and budget planning, SURF hosted over 400 youth and unemployed guests to share integral tips, advice and practical skills to assist with their work readiness preparation.
World Youth Skills Day highlights that, globally, the youth of today are more than three times more likely to be unemployed than adults, and in South Africa, with an unemployment rate of over 27%, this issue could not be more relevant.
UNESCO states that one of the reasons the global rate of unemployment is so high, is due to a “mismatch between the skills young workers can offer and the skills which are in demand.”
Mandisa Mbenenge, PR Brand Specialist at Unilever South Africa said, “it’s this gap of skills that SURF in collaboration with our partners hope to help close with our School of Shine initiatives. We aim to put concrete support activities in place -like the Career Confidence Workshop – alongside the SURFshine.co.za online platform to impart and support the youth with access to the soft skills they need to help them ‘Bring Out Their Bright’ in the pursuit of their careers,” says Mbenenge.
Hosted at the Diepkloof Multi-purpose Hall in Soweto SURF’s Career Confidence workshop included a morning of key note addresses by career coaches and experts on topics such as ‘career planning’, ‘finding the right job’, ‘interview skills’, ‘personal branding’, ‘communication at work’ and ‘financial planning and budgeting’ – all of which are free courses offered by The SURF School of Shine online platform.
The afternoon comprised of interactive stations where guests received more one-on-one assistance with interview skills, budgeting advice and job seeking assistance from SURF and workshop partners. Guests could register for the free online SURF School of Shine platform which offers free courses, advice, career tips and were also assisted with the online CV building tool, dress to impress tips and key interview practice.
Aligning with SURF’s brand message of “Bringing out your Bright” the workshop aimed to help the youth looking for jobs with the skills necessary for them to have the confidence to assist them to shine in the pursuit of their careers.
SURF believes that while it helps you keep your clothes bright like new, you can confidently express your unique brightness too and shine brighter in your job seeking endeavors – from your bright wardrobe, to the brightness in you. Through their SURF School of Shine initiative, the household brand has been able to touch the lives of thousands of job seeking South Africans and is on a mission to reach more this year.
Workshop speakers and partners included; Surf Washing Powder (Unilever), Tshephi 1 Million, Capitec Bank, The Clothing Bank,Lungisa E Sonqishe (author and career coach) and Cathy Heaton (award-winning makeup artist and published photographer).
If you want to access FREE courses, tips, advice, professional CV builder and more go to SURFshine.co.za and register for free.
Image (Surfshine School learners participating at the launch held in Soweto yesterday).
