The Department of Employment and Labour’s Public Employment Service (PES) on Thursday launched a state-of-the art mobile bus, the first of its kind to assist clients to enhance employment opportunities.

The launch took place at the Hazyview Labour Satellite office.

According to Smangela Mathenjwa, Principal Psychologist in Mpumalanga, the ultra-modern mobile bus will improve career guidance needs and choices by allowing learners and work-seekers to be assessed and their strengths to be matched with their capabilities.

“The results of employment enhancement programmes will be provided in real-time. The most positive outcome of this initiative is that we will finally be able to reach the province’s most destitute residents, as we plan to bring services increasingly nearer to their natural environments,” Mathenjwa said.

Mathenjwa mentioned that this cohort of the population includes individuals that would generally benefit from the service but have no means to make it to labour centres.

Public Employment Service, Deputy Director in the province, Ernest Masemola said the bus is a state-of-the-art fully functional office.

“This is a self-service employment centre where our clients can register for themselves into the Department’s Employment Services System of South Africa (ESSA). Furthermore, it has a solar power supply so the bus can operate even in the deep rural areas where network is not available,” Masemola said.

The mobile bus initiative is he result of the European Union’s (EU) Education for Employability (E4E) Programme.

The programme began in 2019 but suffered delays due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The E4E programme was created to find ways to ensure that youth have the skills necessary to find or create meaningful and decent employment when they enter the labour market.

E4E is a three-pronged initiative. It is carried out by three Departments: Basic Education, Higher Education and Training and the Department of Employment and Labour.

The programme aims to ensure that the Departments work together to ensure that the youth receives the education and skills required for today’s labour market.

For the entire week of 12-15 June 2023, PES officials from the Department of Employment and Labour will be providing services, including career guidance from the mobile bus to Grade 12 learners at Hazyview Combined School in Mpumalanga. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency