With unemployment levels at alarming rates, the Matlosana Municipality has taken a proactive approach to enable school-leavers to gain experience while completing the New Venture Creation Programme.

The Wesvaal Chamber of Business believe that local youth should consider an internship because it will expand their skills, knowledge, communication, entrepreneurship and teamwork abilities.

Internships are still a somewhat foreign concept in South Africa, but it is readily gaining ground as the benefits thereof contribute to the interns and their sponsor businesses equally.

According to a spokesperson of the Chamber, local youth should consider an internship because it will expand their skills, knowledge, communication and teamwork abilities. “It is about exposure, since you will be exposed to the real business environment and exposed to a wider group of people, exposed to network opportunities. It is also about enhancement – enhancing your knowledge, enhancing your experience, enhancing your references and enhancing your CV.”

The spokesperson added that local businesses should embrace interns because it brings an extra mind with a fresh approach into your business. “It provides you with an extra set of hands without the HR spend. It enhances your social strategy, as the youngsters will bring a tech-savvy that can bring your business to the foreground of the marketing front. Moreover, it provides your staff the opportunity to act as mentors, which creates leaders within your business.”

The Wesvaal Chamber of Business is very happy to have been afforded this opportunity to build stronger ties with the local government by acting as an intern sponsor until March 2018. “We are very excited about the two interns that we have selected and look forward to broadening their horizons while adding value to the Chamber’s service proposition.”

Thato Mokotla is a serious believer that he is destined for greater things in life. He stays on course by settings goals and measuring himself by his achievements. Already an entrepreneur, Thato’s branding and events company, TMokotla Trading has provided services to Intel Solutions, SANRAL, Stovel X, SMC (Self-Made Cheese), Kaizer Chiefs and Creative Tables, and is actively growing his brand by being punctual, resilient and committed. A modest man, he does not entertain office politics as he has seen it break strong teams. “This go-getter sees himself as one of the continents’ most successful businessmen in the future.”

Vanessa Modutlwa is a passionate, well-mannered, punctual, hardworking and happy young lady. She classifies herself as a dreamer, but respects the perspective that hard work and networking are the only keys to success. Vanessa’s role model is Khanyi Dhlomo, MD of Ndalo Media, who connects with over 2 million customers through marketing and communication. On a more personal note, this stylish lady envisages creating and managing her own clothing line in the near future.

Call 018 011 2489 for more details on the internship programme.

MOJA Magazine – Innovation (July 2017)