By Liapeng Raliengoane
MASERU – The Ministry of Finance’s Youth Apprenticeship and Public Works Programme held an exit workshop paired with graduations for 189 youth who were deployed in different sectors through this program.
The event took place in Maseru on Wednesday and another session is taking place today.
Youth Apprenticeship and Public Works Program Representative Kamohelo Nthafo designated that the program started in 2019 and the first batch was deployed in November 2019.
“The objectives of the program include among others, to provide the youth with work experience, to rehabilitate and maintain community assets, to help the youth in becoming job-creators and to develop an exit strategy for the graduates,” Nthafo revealed.
He also disclosed that about 15 000 graduates and 87 000 non- graduates registered for the program. He said to date, 2048 graduates have been placed for jobs under the program, 184 resigned, while 50 are hired where they were placed and 966 have finished their 2 years term. All in all, those that are to receive exit certificates from yesterday until today are 189.
Under the Public Works, Nthafo revealed that about 14 000 youths (non-graduates) have been placed thus far and 12 000 have finished their stipulated contacts timeline.
Moreover, Nthafo thanked all the companies that allowed the youths to be placed in their workplaces.
On behalf of the youth, Tlotliso Ntšoeu, who was placed at Grower, thanked the program for providing them with the opportunity to get workplace experience. He expressed hope that this experience will go a long way in helping them to score employment, to create jobs and to run their own businesses.
Peabathoa Letlaka who was placed at Radio Lesotho also expressed joy over the opportunity they were afforded. She pleaded with other stakeholders to make something out of what they received from the workplace experience.
The Youth Apprenticeship and Public Works Programme was established by the Government of Lesotho in 2019. It is aimed at combating the high rate of unemployment amongst the youth and takes in youth that have tertiary qualifications and those that hold high school qualifications.
