In recent months, TCTA has undertaken significant outreach to the youth via its socio-economic development initiatives. This effort has been bolstered by collaborations with an array of partners, including the Department of Water and Sanitation, numerous SETAs, Department of Public Works, Rand Water, and other state-owned entities. The central aim is not only to inspire students but also to keep them informed about the myriad opportunities at their disposal for their future endeavours.
During August, TCTA embarked on a comprehensive tour of different parts of the country. The primary goal was to engage the youth and provide them with insights on how the organization can be instrumental in poverty alleviation within their communities. They spotlighted the value of their bursary and internship programs, and also the avenues open to young, ambitious entrepreneurs. One highlight of this outreach was at the Durban University of Technology
in KZN.
The expo, aptly themed “World of Work”, sought to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities they would encounter after graduation. Due to an overwhelming response, the event was spread across two days, specifically on 16 and 17 August. Concurrently, two other significant expos were organized at Peddie in the Eastern Cape and at Mamelodi, Gauteng. Both these platforms catered to high school students, offering insights into career decisions and information about funding avenues available to them.
Socio-Economic Development Officer Florence Ndhundhuma, who has been at the forefront of these programmes, shared, “Many of the young men and women that I interacted with were shocked that there are organisations like TCTA who are willing to assist the youth in such a comprehensive manner.” Ndhundhuma added, “Another positive aspect about participating in these programmes is that we share not only information on what TCTA offers, but we
also go as far as advising the learners on the many careers that are available out there that they may not be aware of, as well as information on how to access other funding opportunities like NSFAS.”
Echoing Ndhundhuma, Stakeholder Relations Coordinator Dudu Moremi, who has been a part of TCTA’s journey, noted, “I can safely say that career guidance is really needed in most schools. Some of the brilliant learners I spoke to seemed to have no plan for post matric until we spoke to them about the bursaries offered by TCTA and other organisations.”
Ndhundhuma envisions more of these initiatives in the future. She states, “We understand that there may be some colleagues who are passionate about what we are doing and may wish to take part in one way or the other. We encourage those colleagues to contact myself, Florence (Ndhundhuma), on fndhundhuma@tcta.co.za, and see how we can partner going forward.”
