The YES initiative is the perfect embodiment of Canon’s corporate philosophy of Kyosei and the spirit of cooperation, says Canon South Africa’s Human Resources Director, Christine Masinga.
According to Statistics South Africa, it was estimated that 2.5 million youths under the age of 34 were unemployed in South Africa between April and June 2020. It’s a harrowing figure; however, there is a glimmer of hope shining on the horizon.
Thanks to the Youth Employment Service (YES), which was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2018, business is now becoming the most powerful driver of transformation and growth for the great reset. By creating critical work experience for young people around the country, it’s already resulted in over 50,000 work experiences for previously unemployed youths and deployed over R2.8 billion into the economy.
For businesses, it has also helped unlock unparalleled B-BBEE benefits, while aiding the next generation of South Africa’s workforce attain invaluable experience. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Canon South Africa heeded President Ramaphosa’s call for a partnership between government, civil society and business, and pledged its support. The imaging technology experts believe that the youth play an essential role in shaping the future of the economy and our country.
“The YES initiative is important to Canon,” says Canon South Africa’s Human Resources Director, Christine Masinga. “As an organisation, one of our core drivers is sustainability. A programme like YES promotes skills development and youth employment, which ultimately helps to alleviate poverty and unemployment. It’s an inspiring initiative that’s meant to drive long-term economic and societal change.”
As part of its annual pledge, Canon South Africa has partnered with LFP Training for the implementation of the YES programme. This year, 33 youths have been selected to receive the training and support to start them on their journey towards building a successful career and better future.
“For us, the rewards outweigh the investment,” Masinga explains. “We’ve taken in 33 youths this year, but we can adjust these numbers on an annual basis. For Canon South Africa, seeing our youth receive an opportunity to make their mark and feeling empowered has left us hopeful and optimistic about the future of our country. It’s a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved when we all come together and work collaboratively.”
At the end of the 12-month work experience, the learners will be equipped with a CV and reference letter that gives them three times the chance of receiving an interview call-back. For Canon South Africa, the goal is to ensure these youth receive a quality work experience that adds real value in the long run. Through innovation, collaboration and technological best practice, they will gain the necessary skills and hands-on involvement that will make them undisputed assets to any future employers.
“We ensure that these learners are both nurtured and encouraged in their roles,” says Masinga. “Our corporate philosophy at Canon is Kyosei. It’s a Japanese concept that means living and working together for the common good. We need to create an environment for everyone to thrive and grow, which is a congruent value to what YES aspires to do.”
Canon South Africa has joined over 1,400 corporates in signing up for the YES4YOUTH programme, and its challenging others to do the same. Much like its Kyosei philosophy, the more we work together towards a common goal, the more we can achieve.
