A group of 179 youth from Impala Rustenburg’s mine communities have successfully completed the Retail Youth Development Programme, a partnership between Impala Rustenburg and the Royal Bafokeng Nation, which aims to equip youth with in-demand skills and create employment opportunities in the retail sector.
Training company Reach Summit (Pty) delivered the one-year Wholesale and Retail Learnership Programme Ltd, and the youth graduated with a National Certificate in Wholesale and Retail Stock Control in a Distribution Centre.
The retail training programme was launched in 2022 as part of a collaborative initiative between Impala Rustenburg and the Royal Bafokeng Nation to identify sectors with a high potential for youth employment and to form strategic partnerships in those sectors. Retail, one of the world's fastest-growing industries and the second-largest employer in South Africa, was chosen as a promising avenue for creating opportunities.
Through demand-led training, the programme’s objective was to empower the selected group of students to secure job opportunities in the retail sector, preferably in the Rustenburg Municipality area.
Significant emphasis was placed on selecting an industry in which the graduates would find work placement. Research by Reach Summit in 2021 projected a significant work placement success rate based on market demand in the retail industry once the students completed the programme and retailers were satisfied with their work-integrated learning performance.
The youth development programme involved a full turnkey solution that included recruiting learners, blended learning supported by devices and data, and relevant workplace experience in local and national retailers as part of an accredited NQF level 3 National Certificate Wholesale and Retail Operations Learnership.
Moses Motlhageng, Chief Executive of Impala Rustenburg, expressed his delight at the programme's success: "Investing in programmes that enable our youth to gain employment in growth sectors beyond mining is part of our commitment to creating a better future for our communities. Our gratitude goes to our partner, the Royal Bafokeng Nation, and all stakeholders, including the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA), learners, parents, and our communities, for their unwavering support.”
Speaking on behalf of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, Dr Koketso Rakhudu emphasised the power of collaboration, saying, “I firmly believe that our community possesses a rich historical background and an unwavering dedication to the well-being and progress of its people. In this regard, our partnership with Impala Rustenburg serves as a testament to the strength that arises from working together. We eagerly anticipate witnessing the positive outcomes that will arise from this collaboration, particularly as it paves the way for successful careers in the retail sector for our first cohort of students.”