Cape Town - Local radio station Smile FM has promised to create job opportunities for about 10 000 people before Christmas. Over the next 12 weeks, it will reveal the companies that will also be helping with this campaign.
Looking at how South Africa’s unemployment rate has remained high for many years, Smile FM, with Leelyn Management, in association with the City, decided to join hands pledging to be this year’s Father Christmas to unemployed Capetonians by finding them jobs before December 25.
Managing director Lois O’Brien said the station was determined to tackle the status quo, taking positive action to make a difference in people’s lives and staying true to their name by putting smiles on faces.
“As the go-to radio station in Cape Town, we’re proud to be able to leverage our network and audience to connect deserving job seekers with employers, helping improve the lives of families all across the Cape Town metropole.”
Breakfast show host Ryan O’Connor said they were calling on companies to let them know when they had jobs so they could connect them with job seekers in their area with the requisite skills.
Economic Growth Mayco member James Vos said in the past three years, almost 89 000 people had signed up to the platform and completed the assessment.
“The City is working on multiple fronts to create an environment that gives businesses the space to grow while creating employment opportunities for Capetonians.
“The metro’s unemployment rate fell by 7% year-on-year thanks to the projects and programmes we have enacted, such as our work with partners in Cape Town’s high-growth industries to drive skills development that makes people more employable.
“We are also proud to lead the Jobs Connect workforce development programme in which unemployed people are able to find training and work opportunities on a platform that is easy to use and comes at a minimal cost.”
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: “The City is pleased to partner with Smile FM to facilitate thousands more employment opportunities for Capetonians using our Jobs Connect platform. We call on businesses to support this initiative and for job seekers to make use of the support on offer, including help with CV formulation.”