EOH Work Readiness Initiative - Final Narrative Report April 2015

Supported by:
THE EOH WORK READINESS INITIATIVE

FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD 1 MARCH 2014 - 28 FEBRUARY 2015
www.eoh.co.za
FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT FROM EOH
FEBRUARY 2015
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ABOUT THE PARTIES

EOH
EOH is a South African learning solutions provider
with specialist skills in linking educational outcomes
to labour market requirements, which is also a key
strategic priority of the South African government.
Awareness of the link between employability, economic
growth and poverty reduction has become increasingly
explicit in government policy since 1994. EOH is leading
an employer driven campaign in South Africa to create
work opportunities for disadvantaged youth - the EOH
Youth Job Creation Initiative.
THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION

The Rockefeller Foundation is a US based non-profit
organisation that seeks to promote the well-being of
people throughout the world. Digital Jobs Africa is
one of several of their programmes aiming to build
resilience and promote growth with equity. A key feature
of the programme is linking learners to employment
opportunities in information and communications
technology (ICT).
THE REPORTS
The Foundation requires both narrative and financial
reports, at interim and final phases. The interim
reports enable the early identification of problems so
that corrective action can be taken. The final reports
confirm that the project has achieved its objectives and
also allow reflection that can inform future related work.
The interim reports were submitted by 29 August 2014.
This report is the final narrative report for the project.
EOH has achieved all of the deliverables required by
its Service Level Agreement. Based on this experience
it is confident that it can now significantly upscale the
EOH Work Readiness Initiative in support of the Digital
Jobs Africa objectives, with additional funding. It is also
willing to support other Digital Jobs Africa grantees,
in South Africa and the other five countries, with this
experience.
This final narrative report is a consolidated view of the
EOH Work Readiness Initiative created by updating the
interim narrative report with this additional content:
Updates to the Progress to date section
The initiative - updates made to relevant
sections
New sections on:
Scaling environment
THE INITIATIVE
Due to EOHs capabilities in both skills development,
youth empowerment and ICT services, Rockefeller
Foundation engaged them in a 12 month project in
support of Digital Jobs Africa, to achieve the following
objective:
To train, mentor and place 1,750 disadvantaged
youth in permanent jobs and to develop a webbased support tool to help scale up its Youth Job
Creation Initiative
Learner feedback survey

The following sections of this report are substantially
unchanged from the interim narrative report:
Background
Interviews
A promotional video of the work readiness initiative,
drawing on highlights from this report and including
snippets of the interviews has been produced by EOH.
This project commenced on 1 March 2014 and was

to conclude not later than 30 April 2015. EOH has
however successfully completed all deliverables by the
date of this report, 28 February 2015.
Executive Summary
WORK READINESS INITIATIVE UNDER DIGITAL JOBS FOR AFRICA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
BACKGROUND
DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM AND THE OPPORTUNITY
IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS
DIGITAL JOBS AFRICA
THE EOH YOUTH JOB CREATION INITIATIVE
THE INITIATIVE
10
11
WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES?
11
THE GRANT
11
THE WORK READINESS PROGRAMME
12
THE LEARNER COMMUNICATION PLATFORM
13
WHAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN?
14
HOW ARE YOUTH AND WORKPLACES SELECTED?
14
WHAT WORKPLACES AND LEARNING SITES WERE SELECTED?
15
FEBRUARY 2015
PROGRESS TO DATE
16
WHAT CHALLENGES WERE ENCOUNTERED?
16
WHAT LESSONS WERE LEARNED?
17
HOW HAS THE PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTED TO DIGITAL JOBS AFRICA? 17
LEARNER FEEDBACK SURVEY
19
OVERVIEW
19
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
21
CONCLUSION
29
INTERVIEWS
31
LEARNERS
31
MANAGERS & MENTORS
46
CONTACTS
49
BIBLIOGRAPHY
49
APPENDICES
50
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BACKGROUND
DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM AND
THE OPPORTUNITY
Global inequality has reached levels which threaten the
stability of current economic and social structures. The
richest 85 people on the planet have as much wealth
as the poorest half of the planet, or 3,500,000,000
people. With so many people having little to no stake
in the economy, industrial action, crime and terrorism
have become national security priorities that consume
increasingly large portions of government budgets. The
appeal of radical ideologies to people who have nothing
to lose but their chains, has given cause to many
leaders, philanthropists, researchers and entrepreneurs
to seek a more effective way to empower marginalised
communities while still preserving individual freedoms
and rights.
The balance between service and selfishness, between
rights and responsibilities, between the gains of
the present versus the cost to the future: these are
fundamental equations in the harmony of life which
humanity is now calculating and recalculating with a
quiet desperation.
Technological advances in the last 100 years have
presented undreamed of new realms of possibilities for
an improved quality of life, and an end to the drudgery
and hardship of manual labour and repetitive tasks.
Globalisation has erased prejudices, opened minds and
expanded our definition of what it means to be human
while also blurring ethical distinctions and cultural
diversity with an, as yet, uncertain future impact.
A narrow, short-term focus on shareholder returns is
reducing many corporate giants of innovation to riskaverse efficiency hunters, resulting in a shrinking pool
of genuinely creative new products and services, and
allowing CEOs to hide behind cost saving strategies
while showing what looks like shareholder gains. An
ever shrinking horizon of anticipated shareholder
return is driving an equally shrinking horizon of shortterm planning in businesses, passed on to employees
in the form of greater demands for productivity and
performance and impacting their families in the form of
stress and chronic health degeneration.
In the USA, the Rockefeller Foundation has applied itself
to these challenges in order to find and support solutions
that promote resilience and inclusive growth. One of
these solutions is the Digital Jobs Africa programme
which seeks to link high potential but disadvantaged
youth in developing countries, with work opportunities
in the ICT sector, through a new approach to Business
Process Outsourcing.
In South Africa, EOH has sought to combine the

need for scarce skills in businesses with the national
governments youth job creation drive, to help employers
and young people enter into working and learning
relationships that benefit them both. This happens under
the banner of the EOH Youth Job Creation Initiative,
which has a target of directly and indirectly supporting
the employment of 28,000 youth by 2016.
IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS
The challenges outlined above are also being tackled by
a wide range of stakeholders across the public-private
spectrum, and across the profit-non-profit spectrum.
Few solutions however have a systemic approach which
seeks to identify solutions in a holistic context, and
address them from a wide range of angles, or across an
entire economic value-chain. Where such solutions do
exist, as for example in certain high level government
strategies, they seldom have the effectiveness to rally
the combined effort of the wide range of role-players
required to effect systemic change, especially over the
relatively short time-span of an elected government
administration.
Organisations like EOH and the Rockefeller Foundation
aim to use partnerships and networks as well as
sustainable business practices to leverage a form of
investment in their projects which have the potential to
be self-sustaining once a critical threshold is reached.
The solutions they have identified have the potential to
be upscaled across entire economic sectors and value
chains and attain a level of impact which most statefunded interventions have only dreamed of.
In South Africa, the relatively advanced nature of socially
responsible business incentivised by the state has the
potential to facilitate even more rapid adoption of these
solutions, making the EOH-Rockefeller Foundation
partnership particularly impactful, and providing a
relatively quick proof of practice which can help speed
up adoption in other countries that do not have similar
incentives.
DIGITAL JOBS AFRICA

FAST FACTS
Initiated by
The Rockefeller Foundation
Beneficiaries
FEBRUARY 2015
WHAT ARE DIGITAL JOBS?

Digital jobs use technology to produce information
Digital jobs are a specific set of occupations which:
produce information, rather than physical
objects or physical services
High potential, disadvantaged youth across six

African countries
use tools such as computers, smart phones,

tablets, networks and the internet
Their families and communities
benefit from the levelling effect of technology

and the internet to be able to be offered to a
global customer base at low cost across great
distances and from remote or rural locations
Employers and the wider enabling environment

linked to these youth
Time-span
7 years
Announced May 2013
Budget
Almost US$100 million
Scale of impact:
1,000,000 people
Nature of impact:
Generate social and economic benefits for
youth, their families, and their communities
Increase demand for African youth in the
workforce
Link to business process outsourcing:
Built on a more responsible and sustainable
approach to business process outsourcing
(impact sourcing)
Three outcomes:
Connecting high potential, disadvantaged
youth to employment opportunities in the
digital economy
Encouraging and enabling employers to
incorporate inclusive business practices into
their business models beyond corporate social
responsibility
Scaling the environment for digital jobs and
making it a self-sustainable by co-ordinating
government and business efforts
exist in almost every sector of the economy, and

are often at the cutting edge of development in
those sectors
are in demand in the formal employment sector,
and therefore provide higher than average
wages and better long-term job stability
develop transferable skills sets in both technical
(end-user computing, internet literacy, database
operation) and non-technical (problem solving,
customer service, reporting) areas. These skills
sets:
have come to underpin almost all modern
occupations, and therefore assist work seekers
in horizontal and vertical career progressionare
equally valuable at the level of an entrepreneur,
micro-business, or a large enterprise
WHY ARE DIGITAL JOBS RELEVANT TO AFRICA?

Digital jobs can catalyse economic growth and empower
disadvantaged individuals, their families and their
communities.
Nowhere in the world is this a more serious priority
than in Africa, where 80% of the population lives below
the poverty line, and half of the population are younger
than twenty, making it the worlds youngest continental
population. Most of these youth are unemployed,
although the level of employment varies considerably by
country.
While many factors inhibit Africas potential for success,
it has an advantage in certain ICT indicators which make
digital jobs a potentially favourable area for growing
secure livelihoods.
For example, Africa is investing in ICT technology,
especially in the area of broadband connectivity and
mobile technology. It is now connected by eight undersea
fibre optic cables to the global internet backbone,
at a cost of just under US$4 trillion. It is the worlds
fastest growing mobile phone market, and more than
half of its 1.1 billion population are mobile subscribers,
compared to just 16 million in the year 2000. Mobile
data consumption is on par with that of most developed
markets.
Background
Digital jobs depend on ICT infrastructure, which is why

Africa is uniquely positioned to create employment for
digital workers and these jobs could be a lifeline to the
continents unemployed youth.
CAN DIGITAL JOBS EMPOWER AFRICAN YOUTH?

The World Economic Forum estimates that around 150
million new jobs could be created in ICT for Africans
by 2020. However current research shows that youth
receive only around 22% of new jobs created in Africa,
despite making up 60% of its unemployed. Employment
creation on a large scale will not therefore, in itself,
empower disadvantaged youth unless factors hindering
their employment are explicitly addressed in youth
empowerment initiatives.
The barrier to employment faced by youth around the
world is that they lack work experience The risk and
cost to employers in hiring them will therefore always
be greater than that of hiring similarly skilled but already
experienced employees. As long as companies view
induction, training and development as non-core
business, on-boarding youth will always be seen as a
cost to be minimised rather than an investment in the
human capability of the organisation.
Inexperienced youth globally therefore find themselves
in a catch 22 situation where they cannot get access
to the employment that would give them the experience
they need to get access to employment.
In Africa, disadvantaged youth face additional barriers to
entering the increasingly globalised workforce including
social and political instability, distance from resources,
poverty, language barriers, culture differences, and
gender discrimination..
Helping youth access the digital jobs market would
therefore require preparatory skills development to
provide functional and behavioural skills not typically
provided by the public schooling system (generally
referred to as work readiness programmes). It would
also require opportunities for real work experience
linked to formal theoretical education for entry-level IT
occupations (referred to in South Africa under various
names including workplace learning, work integrated
learning, on-the-job-training, and learnerships).
GROWING DEMAND TO MATCH SUPPLY

The relationship between increased work experience and
improved employability was implicit in training models
such as those developed by the artisans and masons
in Europe during the Middle Ages, but was increasingly
obscured with the advent of the industrial age and mass
produced education.
Parents, mentors, tutors and master craftsmen were

absorbed into the formal, industrialised workforce, and
the preparation of youth for employment was shifted
to educational institutions, which imitated aspects of
Henry Fords successful assembly line model. The first
Human Resource Development practitioners (trainers)
emerged at this time to make up for what was to become
an increasingly obvious gap between the supply of
learners from the educational system and the demand for
competent employees in the labour market.
As the nature of work has become more and more
complex, with occupational specialisations becoming
the norm, the lack of work experience in the schooling
system has become more of a disadvantage for the
youth it aims to serve.
Now as the Rockefeller Foundation and EOH seek
solutions to youth employability which go beyond
improving the supply side of the labour force equation,
they are seeing the importance of engaging the
demand side of the learning equation (the employment
environment).
For EOH this involves reducing the risk and cost to South
African employers of hiring and training high potential but
disadvantaged youth.
For Rockefeller Foundation it means partnering with
organisations such as EOH as they open workplaces up
for youth, while simultaneously using inclusive business
practices, such as impact sourcing, to increase the pool
of available employment opportunities for youth. This is
an important step in addressing the problem of youth
unemployment because currently only around 40,000
new digital jobs per year are created in the six countries
where Digital Jobs Africa is being implemented. This
despite the fact that all six countries have big digital work
opportunities, as reported in the Dalberg study, Digital
Jobs in Africa.
FEBRUARY 2015
WHY IMPACT SOURCING?
WHERE DOES SOUTH AFRICA FIT INTO THIS?
One of the recent trends in business efficiency is

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) which involves the
identification of specific parts of a business value chain
for relocation to an economy which is able to deliver the
required products and services at a more efficient cost
than the original centre of operations.
In South Africa the outlook for youth employment is

even worse than the African average, despite the more
advanced nature of the countrys economy and political
system.
Pursued blindly, BPO can negatively impact the

community which loses the economic activity, damage
the organisations brand and cannibalise the long-term
prospects of the business, while buying a short-term
saving in costs. BPO has become a political issue in
many countries where it has been practised and caused
a reassessment of how it can be more thoughtfully
applied.
One of the new approaches to BPO has been termed
Impact Sourcing.
Impact sourcing differs from BPO in that high potential
but disadvantaged youth are the primary source of
employees for the newly created work opportunities.
For many of the youth working in impact sourcing, this
will be their first work experience. The experience they
receive, as well as training in work readiness and digital
skills, will significantly ease their access to future work
opportunities and therefore improve their resilience
whether or not they progress further in the impact
sourcing sector. Their families and communities will
benefit from having a wage-earner in the formal economy
with its higher and more consistent salaries.
EOHs business is human capital outsourcing services
and ICT services. It has been practicing its own form
of impact sourcing for several years within the South
African context, and in so doing has developed a strong
business case for its clients by aligning its work closely
to the South African governments system of socially
responsible business incentives. This enables it to offer
BPO services aligned to the internal HRD strategies of its
clients and also subsidised by tax incentives and grants.
It therefore helps employers overcome the risk and cost
hurdles typical of impact sourcing initiatives and is able
to do so at scale due to its client base of over 2,000
organisations.
At an unbelievable high of 48% in 2009, the youth

unemployment situation has somehow worsened to 52%
in 2012, giving South Africa the unenviable title of third
highest youth unemployment in the world, after Greece
and Spain. This figure is also well above the average of
12,5% for the sub-Saharan Africa region.
Youth have been key in civil disturbances and local
municipality protests throughout the country for several
years, and have politically even secured a voice in their
own political party. Awareness of the importance of youth
unemployment has percolated down from government
in the form of a Youth Employment Accord (April 2013)
and a Youth Employment Tax Incentive, only recently in
effect, which provides tax deductions for employers of
young people.
At the same time as being under significant pressure to
find solutions to youth unemployment, South Africa was
ranked third out of twenty high potential countries, for
impact sourcing suitability. It also has the largest services
sector on the continent, and is already successful
and attractive as a BPO destination. It has an array
of government incentives for youth employment, skills
development, enterprise development, preferential
procurement and employment equity. A well developed
network of employers, service providers and community
based organisations also exists in the country with
years of experience in different approaches to socially
responsible business practices. As the maturest economy
in Africa, it also has the potential to upscale Digital Jobs
Africa rapidly, and with many South African businesses
expanding into Africa, any successes achieved locally
would hopefully migrate north.
The National Department of Public Works, a host employer for the

EOH Work Readiness Programme
Background
THE EOH YOUTH JOB CREATION INITIATIVE

Aspects of the EOH Youth Job Creation Initiative have been mentioned in the preceding section on Digital Jobs Africa, to
illustrate the synergies between the two approaches to youth unemployment.
In addition, the following facts are important in understanding the context for the EOH work readiness programme described
in the rest of this document:
FAST FACTS
Initiated by
EOH
Beneficiaries
Disadvantaged South African youth
Time-span
4 years
Announced July 2012
Scale of impact:
28,000 disadvantaged youth across South Africa
Nature of impact:
Provide work experience opportunities coupled with formal education and training resulting in nationally recognised
qualifications and employment
Educational components
primarily learnership programmes with vendor certified add-ons such as the A+, N+, Oracle, Microsoft or other
certification
a work readiness component is included in all YJCI programmes, but its duration varies according to the availability
of funding
Learnership programmes are:
one year or longer in duration
on-the-job learning culminating in government accredited qualifications
a placement rate of 70% in learnerships is a minimum requirement of most funding partners in South Africa; EOH
aims for an 80% placement rate
externally quality assured and certificated by government education authorities (SETAs)
able to qualify employers for tax incentives and points on the socially responsible business scorecard (used in
awarding government and other procurement)
Link to business process outsourcing:
EOH is itself a BPO firm and has built a business case to encourage other employers to use this model in
alignment with the South African governments youth empowerment strategies
NOTES TO THE PRECEDING TABLE
10
1.
Work readiness is commonly accepted as an important component of all workplace learning initiatives for youth in
South Africa, yet funding constraints result in probably less than half of such initiatives including anything more than a
rudimentary effort at work readiness
2.
Placement rate refers to post learnership employment, self-employment or further study
3.
The socially responsible business scorecard refers to the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment scorecard of
the Department of Trade & Industry
FEBRUARY 2015
LINK TO THE EOH WORK READINESS INITIATIVE
THE INITIATIVE
When EOH first approached the Rockefeller Foundation

to discuss a partnership in South Africa, the basis for
working together was the EOH Youth Job Creation
Initiative, in so far as it supported the objectives of Digital
Jobs Africa.
This section of the report describes the EOH Work

Readiness Initiative which was the recipient of a
Rockefeller Foundation grant under its Digital Jobs Africa
initiative.
However the Foundation elected to support a smaller

component of the YJCI, the work readiness component,
in order to be able to measure impact over a shorter
time-period with a view to re-evaluating and possibly
expanding the partnership with EOH after this initial
pilot.
WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES?

The initiative aims to (1) train, mentor and place
disadvantaged youth in permanent jobs and (2) develop a
web-based support tool to help scale up the EOH Youth
Job Creation Initiative1.
These two purposes are realised in separate but
related components of the programme: (1) the EOH
Work Readiness Programme, and (2) the EOH Learner
Communication Platform, collectively referred to in this
document as the initiative.
In support of the scaling environment for Digital Jobs
Africa, the initiative also sought to test the Workplace
Learning Standard, a South African initiative to
standardise and scale optimal training practices.
THE GRANT
Grant number
2014 DJA 305
Budget
Up to $1,009,308 funded out of a total budget
of $1,654,358 the balance of $645,050 was
contributed by EOH
Purpose
Toward the cost of training, mentoring
and placing 1,750 disadvantaged youth in
permanent jobs and developing a web-based
support tool to help scale up its Youth Job
Creation Initiative
Duration
12 months from 1 March 2014 to 28 February
2015
For more details please see the Grant
Agreement
1 This is referred to as the virtual training platform in the Grant Service Level
Agreement
The initiative
11
THE EOH WORK READINESS PROGRAMME

This programme is known as the World of Work, or WOW for short.
WOW is embedded in larger workplace learning programmes called learnerships that are discussed earlier in this document
under the heading The EOH Youth Job Creation Initiative. This makes it more effective than if it were offered as a standalone programme, as it attracts greater employer engagement and incentives, as well as higher learner motivation and
relevance.
FAST FACTS
Purpose
Facilitating development in the learner of critical skills needed to function productively in the work environment and
add value to the employing business
Duration and format
Five day full-time workshop followed by 7 weeks of work exposure
Impact evaluation in week 8 including mentor and manager appraisals
Target audience
Newly employed staff, interns or learners, especially where this is their first job
Central organising question for learners
Do you know who you are, what your capabilities are, and where and how you fit into the new world of work?
Most important skills identified
The ability to handle change (resilience)
The confidence to present a personal brand professionally
Structure
Learners understand how the human brain thinks and learns, and apply this to understanding their own personal
thinking style, based on a left-brain, right-brain dichotomy
Individual thinking styles are related to specific work related skills encouraging the learner to reflect not only on what
is required of them in the workplace, but also to self-reflect in terms of how their thinking style affects their application
of these work related skills
Personal growth is therefore linked directly to the development and improvement of work related skills
The programme is structured into five modules, which were also identified in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers report
Managing Tomorrows People - the future of work to 2020, as core skills required by new entrants in the workplace
Module 1 - Big Picture Thinking
Module 2 - Interpersonal Awareness
Module 3 - Structured Thinking
Module 4 - Analytical Thinking
Module 5 - Innovation & Creative Thinking
Topics
See Appendix 1 for the full list of topics covered
A screenshot from the EOH Learner Communication Platform at www.eohwow.co.za
12
FEBRUARY 2015
THE EOH LEARNER COMMUNICATION PLATFORM2

This is a web-based software application, based on the Kentico Content Management System, version 8.1. Its purpose is to
encourage and support communication and collaboration amongst learners, facilitators and mentors.
The rationale for the development of the tool is the need to upscale the Digital Jobs Africa programme when one of the major
impediments supporting learners at every employment site, when they are not readily accessible during working hours. It is
expected that by moving some of the learner monitoring and communication tasks online, there may be a reduction in the
need for on-site visits by implementation staff.
Work readiness programmes that combine classroom based learning with actual work experience are more effective than
programmes without the experiential component. However they face the challenge of supporting learning without detracting
from real work demands and priorities, both for learners, their direct reports, and workplace mentors.
The learner feedback survey identifies more support in the workplace as the second highest ranked suggestion from
learners who are asked how can we improve the work readiness programme?.
FEATURES
The Learner Communication Platform makes it possible for students to collaborate in chat rooms with fellow students, with
other students relevant to their studies or experience, or with their mentor and trainers. They can also access supporting
material relevant to their studies including e-learning and search databases of job opportunities.
The platform has the following functionality:
Learner performance and monitoring
Record storage and retrieval
Collaboration space for all key role-players including managers, coaches and mentors, assessors, project managers
and learners
Electronic work environment for learning
and assessment tool deployment
Smart phone enabled
The platform consists of the following sections:
Lifelong learning tools
Blogs
Groups (discussion forums)
Chat rooms
Supplementary eLearning modules
Learner support
Training schedules
Course information
Learner progress tracking
Direct access to mentors, assessors,
workplace skills coordinator
Work and career support
Learner social media profiles
Links to job opportunities
Industry news
Screenshots from the EOH Learner Communication Platform at www.eohwow.co.za

2 This is EOHs name for what is referred to in the Grant Service Level Agreement as a web-based support tool and as a virtual training platform
The initiative
13
WHAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN?

Milestone
Deliverables
Recruit 1,000 employees

Conduct work readiness training
Place youth with host employers
Develop the web-based support tool
(virtual training platform)
Collect knowledge and insights to track
performance and monitor social impact
Due date
A memo detailing the recruitment, training

and placement of employees
31 July 2014
A prototype of the web-based support tool

(virtual training platform) and the marketing
plan
Interim narrative report that
comprehensively tracks the performance
and impact of the grant
30 September 2014
Interim financial report

Recruit 750 employees
Conduct work readiness training
Place youth with host employers
Launch the web-based support tool
(virtual training platform)
Test the workplace learning standard and
make it available to other private sector
providers and employers in South Africa
A memo detailing the recruitment, training

and placement of employees
Evidence of the web-based support tool
(virtual training platform) that can also be
accessed via mobiles
Final narrative report
30 April 2015
Final financial report
HOW IS THE PROGRAMME

IMPLEMENTED?
1. A social media recruitment campaign has been
implemented to invite candidates to apply for the
programme
2. Respondents from the recruitment campaign
and candidates from EOHs database of
unemployed youth are selected through
interview and entry tests
HOW ARE YOUTH AND

WORKPLACES SOURCED AND
SELECTED?
A broad source of potential areas and methods
of recruiting learners was undertaken by EOH in
conjunction with the host employer. The criteria applied
took into account the learners personal background,
educational level and aptitude for the learnership and a
career in the field they are applying for.
4. A pretest and posttest knowledge evaluation is

conducted with the learners
Learners had to submit (or were supported to create)

a profile or CV. They were then tested for literacy and
numeracy levels. All successful tests applicants were
then interviewed for aptitude and their general approach,
attitude and communication skills.
5. Learners begin the seven week work

experience component with support from
workplace mentors
The selected final short list of learners was presented

to a panel of host employer managers (representing all
operational areas in which learners would be placed).
6. Survey is conducted with learners to measure

impact of the programme
Learners completing the induction and probationary

period and successfully passing the final assessment,
are provided a Learnership Agreement and Fixed Term
Employment agreement for the period of the learnership
(usually one year)
3. Learners participate in the five day work

readiness workshop
Since the EOH work readiness programme takes place

within a broader learnership programme, learners
continue at their place of employment until they have
completed their qualification, which is usually a one year
process. At this point should the learner not achieve
employment with their current workplace, EOH will assist
them find employment or offer them the option of joining
new learnership or internship programmes.
14
31 December 2014
A one day learner induction workshop takes place for all

successful learners.
WHAT WORKPLACES AND

LEARNING SITES WERE
SELECTED?
LEARNING SITES
The five day workshop component of this programme
was delivered in 28 different locations across South
Africa. See Appendix 2 for a breakdown of the learners
by learning groups, showing the number of learners in
each group, the dates their learning occurred on and the
geographical location.
WORKPLACES
FEBRUARY 2015
ASSESSMENT
The learner assessment was done through an
anonymous online survey at the conclusion of the pilot
project, which allowed a variety of factors to be queried
including:
Programme awareness and improvement
feedback
Learner confidence and future expectations
Alignment with Digital Jobs Africa objectives
Learner perceptions of impact on family and
community
Detail on the survey is provided in the learner feedback
survey section.
Pages from the WOW Learner Guide
Four additional workplaces were added during the

period since the interim narrative report, bringing to a
total of 80 the employers hosting learners who have
participated directly or indirectly on the programme.
These organisations include large national government
departments, state-owned enterprises, large corporates
and medium-small IT consulting firms, and are available
on request.
PROJECT PLANNING
A Project Implementation Plan (PIMP) is developed
for the implementation of each group of learners. This
plan governs the actions of all parties, including EOH
project management, support, training and assessment
resources, the host or employer, supervisors and
colleagues, and the learner. This ensures the workplace
readiness programme is aligned to the technical training
and workplace experience of the learner and their path
to gaining a qualification and sustainable employment
prospects.
WORKPLACE COORDINATION
All learners are placed in suitable workplaces for the
experiential learning aspects of the programme. In order
to ensure the experience is guided to a constructive
outcome, EOH WPL makes a Workplace Support
Coordinator (WSC) available to the host site and learner.
MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME
Mentorship of learners is an important catalyst to the
learners development. EOH ensures that all host sites
supervisor or management staff have access to training
and ongoing support, in their role of mentor. The training
and support is provided to the workplace coaches in
the beginning of the group project, so as to ensure the
environment is prepared for the learner arrival.
The initiative
15
PROGRESS TO DATE
areas which are under-serviced or located in remote rural

areas, which is where many of the learners interviewed
completed their schooling.
OVERVIEW
Learners affirmed the experiential component of the

larger learnership programme as critical in equipping
them beyond the formal, theoretical book learning
which they received at school and at their colleges.
The programme has achieved all the deliverables listed

in the implementation plan.
WHAT QUANTITATIVE PROGRESS

HAS BEEN MADE?
Development of all learning materials and
supplementary content is complete
1,789 learners have completed the five day
programme
All of these learners were placed with host
employers for an additional 7 weeks structured
workplace exposure
The web-based support tool (virtual training
platform) is complete and operational
A guest login to the system has been created for
Wairimu Kagondu which can be access via the
URL http://www.eohwow.co.za/
Interviews with 34 learners and five employer
representatives were conducted during the
middle of the initiative and a summary is
provided under the Interviews section
An electronic learner feedback survey was sent
out to 572 learners at the end of the programme
and is reported on under the Learner feedback
survey section
The Workplace Learning Standard has been
tested and EOH is supporting professional
bodies, private sector providers and employers
to access it
WHAT QUALITATIVE PROGRESS

HAS BEEN MADE?
LEARNER FEEDBACK
A total of 34 people were selected to be interviewed
for the qualitative aspect of this report. This includes
four managers and two mentors with the balance
being learners who participated on the work readiness
programme.
All respondents expressed positive feedback about the
programme.
Learners affirmed the importance of the programme
content in helping them integrate into what was for
many of them, their first work opportunity. The South
African public schooling system offers learners little to
no preparation for the workplace, especially in those
16
The learners are all drawn from disadvantaged

backgrounds. Many of them expressed a positive
impact (or a planned positive impact) from their learning
experience on their families and communities. The
monitoring and evaluation consortium appointed
by Rockefeller Foundation has met with the EOH
implementation team to begin discussing how the impact
of the initiative on learners families and communities can
be tracked in more detail.
EMPLOYER FEEDBACK
The EOH Project Co-ordinator for the Work Readiness
Initiative gave the following feedback when asked about
employer perceptions:
The programme has been overwhelm s which
includes testing and interviews.
Massbuilds Learning and Development Manager gave
this feedback on the Work Readiness Programme:
thank you for a really good job. You have added value to
our process and we really appreciate it.
Additional positive feedback from employers is noted in
the five interviews with employer representatives later in
this document.
SCALING ENVIRONMENT
The initiative sought to understand the potential of the
Workplace Learning Standard to help scale its impact.
The Workplace Learning Standard is a South African
initiative to standardise and scale optimal training
practices. The Standard is still in development and
EOH is tracking its progress to ensure alignment of
its practices with the Standard, and is supporting its
adoption by private sector providers and employers.
As part of its research into the Workplace Learning
Standard, EOH has been involved in sharing its
experience and practices with other Digital Jobs
Africa grantees. Strong support for this kind of peer
collaboration amongst grantees was voiced at the Impact
Sourcing At Scale Conference (November 2015). The
outcomes of this sharing process will be be incorporated
into the Workplace Learning Standard.
FEBRUARY 2015
WHAT CHALLENGES WERE

ENCOUNTERED?
This also filters into the next challenge, which is having

accurate documentation completed by the mentor in the
workplace in order to track and measure the progress of
the learner within the specific workplace.
RECRUITMENT AND PLACEMENT
Managing of resources can also be challenging at

times to ensure that the learner and the host site
are fully supported throughout the process. The EOH
Learner Communication Platform will assist in widening
the communication between all the role players and
stakeholders without always requiring the physical
presence of the resources on site. It is designed to offset
some of the hurdles to workplace support that have been
experienced.
A common challenge is ensuring that the most suitable

learner is identified and recruited to partake in the
programme. This is managed by ensuring a very
thorough recruitment process which includes testing and
interviews.
Once the learner is selected, it is not always easy to
ensure that the learner is placed within the most suitable
host site. It may be that host sites that are the most
willing are not necessarily the ones that may be the best
fit for a specific learner.
WORKPLACE SUPPORT
A risk that is ever present and needs to be managed
closely is ensuring that the learner is assigned relevant
tasks in the workplace that are accurately linked to their
qualification. Various reasons for this not happening
may be that the learner may not be taken seriously and
is therefore assigned menial tasks that are not relevant
and that may not necessarily enhance the chances of
the learner coming out of the programme up-skilled in
the best possible manner ensuring that the learner is in
a better position to secure employment than before they
entered the programme.
Once the learner is placed it may be that the mentor
or the manager that is tasked with the responsibility of
mentoring and managing the training of the learner in the
workplace may not fully buy into the learnership process.
Interestingly, one of the issues faced are mentors or
managers feeling threatened by the presence of learners
who are young and although inexperienced, may already
have a higher qualification than the mentor. Mentors
often state that they are too busy with their own tasks to
fully engage with the learner and the process. Workplace
support also emerged from the learner feedback survey as an
area where the programme can be strengthened.
PREGNANCY, PARENTING AND FINANCIAL STRESS

A unique challenge that is faced by the female learners
is pregnancy. This can halt the progress of the learner
within the programme or in some cases, the learner
may cease participation completely. It appears from
the learner feedback survey that approximately half of
the learners are single parents, which places additional
responsibility and financial stress on the learners.
Some learners struggle with committing to seeing the
programme through to the end. This may be because
the learner finds a position that offers them a little more
money, which they seriously need3, and the learner will
then drop out of the programme and lose out on the
final qualification. It is high priority for the programme
coordinators to ensure that every learner is retained
within the programme.
WHAT LESSONS WERE LEARNED?

INTERACTIVITY
Interactivity in the five day programme is a key ingredient.
Through individual and group activities we have seen
the learners gain new insights and in some cases
realisations, that may otherwise not have transpired if
3 See the responses to question 13 of the learner feedback survey
National Department of Public Works (Pretoria, South Africa)
Progress to date
17
the opportunity for open and interactive communication

was not present through the facilitation component of
the programme. It is interesting to see that learners
would like more opportunities for practical application in
the classroom (question 10) and this is something the
programme designers will be taking into consideration as
they review the learner feedback.
The Foundation is developing a monitoring & evaluation

approach to enable more effective translation of strategy
into action. This will enable DJA grantees to provide
deeper insight into how their work is contributing to the
targeted objectives.
WORKPLACE SUPPORT
OUTCOME PATHWAY 1 - YOUTH,

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
Another lesson is that to have the best chance of

success, it is necessary to have frequent communication
with the learner and to assist them at all times to
deal with any issues as they arise. If the learner feels
supported when they feel they need assistance, there is
a higher chance of retaining the learner and of ultimate
success.
The buy in and relationship with the host employer
is critical. It is imperative that the host employers are
briefed on their roles and responsibilities towards the
learners. The learner also needs to be briefed adequately
in order for them to understand the work site they are
being placed in. In essence there needs to be good
communication and a relationship that is initiated by the
project team but sustained between the learner and the
mentor in the host site.
A disjunction between learner motivation and
commitment versus employer recognition of this was
identified in the learner feedback survey (question 18).
The programme designers will address this in their
regular review and assessment process.
When the learner is guided correctly and is
knowledgeable in what is expected from them, they
are able to perform better. If good communication and
rapport is established, this propels the growth of the
learner in their role. This may increase the chance of
the learner being considered for permanent employment
after the placement period.
The EOH Learner Communication Platform has been
designed to address some of the communication and
support issues noted here. The programme designers
will be reviewing the analysis of the learner feedback
survey to evaluate making improvements to the
programme.
In the interim, EOH can state the following about its

contribution towards the DJA objectives:
1,789 youth completed the eight week programme. Data

collected by EOH suggests an average of four siblings
and 1.3 children per learner. This would mean that, on
average, 5.3 people per learner are impacted, excluding
parents and extended family - a total of 9,460 people.
As the learners experience the consistency of work over
the one year Youth Job Creation Initiative, and find fulltime employment, it is expected that they will migrate
from being dependant on their family, to not costing their
family much, and finally to being able to contribute to the
costs of their families, and establish their own. Learner
feedback suggests that their children and partners
are already benefiting indirectly from the programme
outcomes (questions 24, 25 and 27).
EOH is supporting the monitoring and evaluation
consortium appointed by the Foundation to investigate
methodologies that track in detail the impact of the
initiative on the wider family and community members of
the learner.
OUTCOME PATHWAY 2 - EMPLOYERS

As noted under the earlier heading What qualitative
progress has been made?, and in the feedback from the
five employer representatives surveyed in the following
Interview section, employers are emphatic about the
benefits of the programme. However the experience
related under Lessons learned and the learner
feedback received to question 18 of the survey, indicates
that this commitment may need to be educated further
and deepened for employers to reap the full benefit of
their involvement.
OUTCOME PATHWAY 3 - SCALING ENVIRONMENT
HOW HAS THE PROGRAMME

CONTRIBUTED TO DIGITAL JOBS
AFRICA?
The EOH Work Readiness Initiative takes place
within the broader EOH Youth Job Creation Initiative
(YJCI). The overlap in objectives between Digital Jobs
Africa (DJA) and the YJCI has been highlighted in the
Background section of this document. The similarities
between the programmes, as well as EOHs capabilities
in business process outsourcing and IT, make it an ideal
partner to assist in upscaling DJA in South Africa.
18
A scaled environment with broad adoption of inclusive

business practices is essential for the long-term success
and sustainability of the desired change.
As a pilot project, this initiative did not include a
significant focus on outcome pathway three. However
as noted under Scaling environment previously, the
Workplace Learning Standard has the potential to
support the fostering of an environment that can scale
large, demand-driven, training initiatives. The appetite
for sharing good practice amongst Digital Jobs Africa
grantees, as expressed at the Impact Sourcing At Scale
Conference (November 2015), as well as the willingness

of those present to share, suggests that the environment
wants to be scaled.
Should the Foundation be satisfied with this initial pilot
project, the initiative can be rapidly upscaled due to
EOHs unique context and capabilities, discussed in the
Background section of this report.
FEBRUARY 2015
LEARNER FEEDBACK
SURVEY
OVERVIEW
EOH surveyed learner feedback from the work
readiness programme in February 2015, to gain insight
into its effectiveness and understand how it could be
improved.
Highlights from the survey show:
a high level of awareness about the
programmes purpose
very high levels of reported programme
effectiveness and programme satisfaction
a significant level of alignment between
programme outcomes and learner behaviours
is reported
Screenshots from the EOH Learner Communication Platform

at www.eohwow.co.za
very high levels of learner confidence

with regard to workplace responsibilities,
employment potential and future expectations of
success
high levels of learner confidence and
engagement with employers is perceived not to
be valued by employers suggesting employers
may be at risk of losing high potential new
entrants
learner preference for more practical application
opportunities in class and more support in the
workplaces
high alignment of learner selection criteria with
Digital Jobs Africa criteria
many learners are single parents earning
between R1500 - R3000 per month4
high alignment of technology focus of the
programme outcomes with Digital Jobs Africa
focus
the programme seems to have succeeded in
engendering a confidence in learners which
is not tethered to one particular employment
opportunity
learners report improvements in the welfare of
their families, with children ranking higher than
partners
learners appear to be loyal to their communities,
and feel more empowered to act in them, but
may actually be less community active than
before the programme
three quarters of the group feel to some extent
more resilient with respect to crises than before
they underwent the programme
4 US$135 - US$270 per month
19
the group surveyed has a high level of access to

internet connectivity
The survey offers an initial confirmation that the EOH
work readiness initiative is having a significant impact
on the employability of high potential, disadvantaged,
African youth, and could be the basis for further, more
rigorous research, exploring some of the results surfaced
below.
BACKGROUND
DESIGN
The goal of the survey was to determine the
effectiveness of the programme and its alignment with
Digital Jobs Africa objectives.
For a self-reported survey, these goals could best be
achieved by questions that focused on the variables of
(1) learner confidence and (2) expectations for the future,
because these are factors which are naturally subjective,
and therefore able to offer higher validity in the context of
self-reported feedback.
Learners accessed the survey anonymously in order to
encourage them to answer honestly.
Learner confidence
Learner confidence is a factor which emerges clearly in
the Interview section as lacking in learners who have
not had the benefit of exposure to work experience or
work readiness interventions.
Confidence in executing tasks is frequently associated
in the literature on work readiness with employability and
higher performance. It is also an important component
of positive self-theories and therefore motivation. While
self-reported confidence may not equate identically with

actual confidence, it is often recognised as a necessary
precursor to manifest confidence.
Learner expectations
Positive expectations of the future are correlated with
confidence so this variable acts as a check on the first
while also seeking to make explicit specifically which
aspects of the future the respondent feels confident
about. The incentive to delay the desire for instant
gratification is psychologically reduced in youth with
negative expectations of the future, hence the link
between youth unemployment and delinquency. This
variable is therefore more revealing than confidence
alone in terms of its correlation with socially acceptable
behaviours, and impact on family and community.
Question format
Only six of the 30 questions allowed multiple answers
(via checkboxes). The bulk of the questions forced
respondents to choose one of three or four options (via
radio buttons). The intent here was to force responses
into more easily discernible patterns, and heighten
what may otherwise be a more subtle differentiation in
choice. However by admitting at least three options for
most questions the intent was that important distinctions
would not be blurred, as would be the case if only binary
choices were available.
LIMITATIONS
The survey is by no means the final word nor even
an authoritative word on the effectiveness of the
programme. It is however a useful tool to gauge some
of the more immediate and accessible aspects of the
programmes success which can be the basis for an
initial evaluation of the programme, in conjunction with
Learners discuss an issue - EOH World of Work programme (Johannesburg, 13 February 2015)
20
the learner interviews that follow, and also suggest lines

of further research for the Digital Jobs Africa monitoring
and evaluation team.
The survey falls within Kirkpatricks first level of
learning evaluation (learner reaction)5, but due to the
psychological aspects of work readiness learning, is also
beginning to measure aspects of Kirkpatricks second
level of learning evaluation which includes changes in
attitude.
Sample size
While 1,789 learners formed the total population of
programme participants, the response was only sent to
572 learners and of that amount, 213 responded but
only 155 were submitted. 685 learners were omitted from
the survey because they only started the programme
in January and were therefore still busy with it. Another
332 were omitted by error (they were excluded because
their learnership contract had completed which was not
a valid reason for excluding them). Another 96 had no
email address for the survey link to be sent to, and the
balance (104) had contact details which had changed
recently.
The 155 responses represent an 8,6% sample of the
population and provide a confidence interval (margin of
error) of 7,52 for questions where respondents are evenly
split on the question (50%) and 6,02 for questions where
80% of respondents select the same response.
Repeating the survey in the future for the group of
January learners would potentially yield an additional 185
responses giving a 19% sample and a better confidence
level of 4,78.
DIMENSIONS TARGETED
FEBRUARY 2015
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

QUESTION 1
I participated in a one week learning programme called
"World of Work" during 2014
True
False
94%
6%
The 6% who answered false to this question are within

the margin of error for the sample or simply knew the
programme as the work readiness programme.
QUESTION 2
The World of Work programme is...
Options
Selected as count
Selected as
percentage of total
counts
a learnership
65
34%
an internship
32
17%
a diploma
1%
a short course
92
48%
TOTALS
191
100%
The programme is a short course, as correctly reflected

in the majority of responses. Many of the learners were
concurrently engaged on learnerships (a South African
qualification comprised of 70% work experience and
30% theory) and internships. This question has branding
relevance for both the programme designers and
funders.
Other data not reflected in the summary above:
The survey was comprised of 30 questions which are

grouped below by the dimension of learner awareness
that was targeted. Questions in square brackets indicate
a secondary dimension is targeted in addition to a
primary dimension elsewhere in the table.
Dimension
Questions
Programme awareness
1-4
Programme effectiveness
5 - 9, 12 - 15, [22]
Programme improvements
10
Learner match to programme

objectives
11
Learner confidence
15 - 16, [19], [20]
Learner employment potential
17 - 21
Learner future expectations
21 - 22, [28]
Learner internet access
23
Family and community impact
24 - 26, 28 - 30
Family and community resilience
27
65 learners (42%) selected short course as

the only response
63 learners (41%) did not select short course
at all
The high number of respondents who did not select
short course at all may indicate confusion on the part
of learners who see the work readiness programme
as entirely a component of the other concurrent
programmes they were engaged on.
The launch of the EOH Learner Communication Platform
can be expected to raise programme awareness in future
cohorts as a variety of learner support and programme
metadata will be provided via the platform.
5 Kirkpatrick, D.L., & Kirkpatrick, J.D. Evaluating Training Programs (BerrettKoehler Publishers, 1994)
21
QUESTION 3
QUESTION 4
Who sponsored the costs of your World of Work

programme?
The purpose of the World of Work programme is...

Selected as
count
Selected as
percentage of total
counts
to teach me IT skills
18
3%
to help me understand
myself better
70
11%
to teach me how a
workplace works
128
22%
to improve my chance of
success as an employee
in a workplace
123
20%
19%
100%
to teach me thinking skills
70
11%
Options
Selected as
count
Selected as
percentage of total
counts
a SETA
68
30%
Government
2%
EOH / Proserv
102
45%
The Rockefeller
Foundation
4%
EOH / Proserv and the

Rockefeller Foundation
43
TOTALS
227
This question again aimed at understanding the level

of programme awareness in the group of learners.
Seventy percent of the selections included either EOH
or the Rockefeller Foundation or both, however the most
correct answer of EOH and the Rockefeller Foundation,
the co-funders of the programme, appeared in only
19% of the selections. This would suggest that more
explicit reference could be made to the Foundations
funding in programme materials and delivery, should the
Foundation desire this branding.
Options
to teach me HR skills
1%
to help me work better

with other people
113
18%
to make me more
creative and innovative
84
14%
TOTALS
615
100%
Employment6 and workplace7 related intentions are the

highest reported purposes of the programme which
shows alignment with the programme design as a work
readiness intervention. Working better with other people
(18%) and making me more creative and innovative
(14%) also scored high in the selections, showing that the
team-work and creativity modules of the programme are
getting the attention of learners.
QUESTION 5
The World of Work programme helped me prepare for
the challenges of the workplace
A facilitator and his class EOH World of Work programme
(Johannesburg, 13 February 2015)
a lot
a little
not at all
94%
6%
0%
This is a very significant confirmation that learners

perceive the programme to be effective.
6 to improve my chance of success as an employee in a workplace (20%)

7 to teach me how a workplace works (22%)
22
QUESTION 6
FEBRUARY 2015
QUESTION 10
At work I plan my day and prioritise my tasks
The World of Work programme could be improved by...
True
Sometimes
Not true
80%
19%
1%
Three of the topics in the programme related to this:

Personal effectiveness, Managing my time and Planning
my workload, and the significant percentage answering
true to this question at least indicates awareness of the
importance of this behaviour.
QUESTION 7
I have a budget which I use to plan how to spend my
monthly salary
True
Sometimes
Not true
72%
23%
5%
Understanding expenditure and budgets and managing

your personal expenditure against a budget were
topics covered by the programme. Again a significant
percentage answer true to this question, indicating the
programme has been successful on at least the level of
awareness.
Options
Selected as count
Selected as
percentage of
total counts
More opportunities to
practice what we learned
in class
123
49%
Better manuals
14
5%
Making the course longer
33
13%
Giving more financial

support to us the learners
23
9%
Better lecturers /
facilitators
3%
Making the course shorter
0%
Better assessments and

tests
3%
Nothing. The course

cannot be improved
1%
More support in the

workplace
37
15%
Other
TOTALS
QUESTION 8
I would recommend the World of Work programme to

a friend
True
False
98%
2%
Used as a litmus test of the overall favorability of a

product or service by market researchers, the question
about recommending to a friend is another significant
success indicator for the programme.
QUESTION 9
By participating in the Work Readiness programme,
my chances of success at work are now...
A lot better
A little better
The same as
before
85%
12%
3%
This is another solid indicator of the programmes

effectiveness.
2%
258
100%
This was one of the most valuable questions in the

survey, showing that the sample of learners like what the
programme contains and want more of it:
More opportunities to practice in class (49%) and
making the course longer (13%) suggest looking at
a more interactive format for the class, spread over a
longer period of time. An extension in the duration of
the course could also speak to the second most highly
selected improvement, more support in the workplace.
Learners clearly value the experiential aspects of
the programme and want more of them. The value of
the Learner Communication Platform may be critical here
by enabling learners to receive more support in the
workplace without increasing the programme costs
of sending facilitators and mentors into the multiple
employment sites.
A blended learning approach, perhaps delivered via
the Learner Communication Platform could also enable
learners to view relevant video and interactive content
prior to commencing the five day classroom component,
which may then free up more time in the classroom for
role-plays and simulations.
The small number of selections for responses such as
better manuals, facilitators and assessments may be
a confirmation that these aspects of the programme are
already satisfactory.
An unexpected response, and one which suggests that
the validity of the survey is high, is the 9% selection of
giving more financial support to us the learners. It was
expected that this option would illicit a high selection, but
instead it ranks 4th of of 10 options. While the majority
23
of learners are in need of more financial support (see

question 13 later), the fact that it ranks in the middle of
the range is possibly confirmation of the high motivation
and high value placed on the quality of education by this
sample.
QUESTION 13
My monthly net income (after tax and deductions) is...
Less than R1500
per month
Between R1500
- R3000 per
month
Between
R3000 R5850 per
month
More than
R5850 per
month
24%
40%
19%
17%
QUESTION 11
I would describe myself as...
having high
potential to succeed
in life
having average
potential to
succeed in life
having below average

potential to succeed
in life
95%
5%
0%
This question was an attempt to determine if candidates

for the programme matched Digital Jobs Africa criteria
for high potential youth, at least in their self-perception,
and the response is overwhelmingly in alignment.
QUESTION 12
I am now earning more income than before I
participated in the Work Readiness Programme. How
true is this?
Very true
Partially true
No
difference in
income
False
19%
20%
44%
17%
39%
61%
One of the indirect impacts Digital Jobs Africa seeks to

catalyse is the economic empowerment of youth. The
majority of respondents have not seen an immediate
improvement in their financial state, which is to be
expected given the short amount of time that has elapsed
since the programme. Further research at a later date
would be necessary to measure this more accurately.
An average exchange rate of approximately R10 to US$1

applies.
Again looking at the economic impact of the programme,
this question serves as a useful benchmark for research
at a later date. Of concern is that 24% of learners are
earning less than R1500 per month, which indicates
either that they are unemployed, subsequent to the
completion of their programme, or that they are earning
a learners stipend. R5850 is the tax threshold in South
Africa at which point an individual pays personal income
tax.
Adding to this financial stress is the fact that 65% of the
same sample have children, while 46% have no partner
(see question 25).
QUESTION 14
I am more confident about using computers and
technology than before I participated in the Work
Readiness programme. How true is this? "Computers"
can include smart phones, laptops, the internet, PDAs,
and other types of digital technology.
Very true
Partially true
No difference in
my confidence
False
60%
19%
16%
5%
79%
21%
This question touches on learner confidence, the

technology focus of Digital Jobs Africa and the
overall programme effectiveness. 79% indicate some
improvement in their confidence in working with
technology, again a significant figure.
QUESTION 15
The knowledge, skills and attitudes I have are valuable
for employment or self- employment. How true do you
think this is?
Very true
Partially true
Not sure
False
85%
15%
0%
0%
The responses to this question are overwhelmingly

confirming positive learner perceptions about their
readiness for employment which explains the high ratings
for learner confidence responses.
Responses to question 12
24
QUESTION 16
QUESTION 18
My chances of being promoted are now better

than before I participated in the Work Readiness
Programme. How true is this?
Very true
Partially true
51%
FEBRUARY 2015
36%
87%
In two years time I will still be working for the same

employer that I currently am working for. How true do
you think this could be?
No difference
in chance of
promotion
False
10%
3%
13%
Half of the learners feel this statement is very true

which is significant, and approximately another third
feel the statement is partially true, which is perhaps
a more realistic assessment of the actual potentials
for promotion. Learner confidence is therefore again
confirmed as significantly strong in this area.
QUESTION 17
My current employer is a good employer to work for.
How true is this? Your response is confidential - we will
not share it with your employer. The question is to help
us understand how well your employer is succeeding
at motivating their employees.
Very true
They are average
Not true
65%
28%
7%
Question seventeen was attempting to measure the

extent to which the learners were engaged at their
current workplace. This is an indication of their likelihood
of remaining in their current employment. The responses
here are two thirds positive and 83% not expressing
negativity towards their current employment. This also
confirms the claim that impact sourcing workers score
high on engagement and loyalty to their employers.
Likely
Not sure
Unlikely
36%
50%
14%
Again this question is attempting to measure the

likelihood of employment for learners, or at least their
confidence in their employability and in their future.
Half of the learners were not sure of this question.
Together with the responses to question 17 and 21
(following), this question exposes the fact that despite
learners being highly engaged with their current
employers, they are not certain that they have definite
prospects there.
The disjuncture, when understood in the context of high
learner self-confidence reflected in other responses,
suggests that the uncertainty lies in the learners
perceptions of the organisation or environment. Either the
labour market or the employer are seen as unstable and
unpredictable. The responses to question 19 suggest that
the labour market (work in general) is viewed positively.
This indicates that employers may be unnecessarily
reducing motivation in these learners by not reinforcing
their sense of value and this represents a missed
opportunity in retaining high potential youth in their skills
pipeline.
Class interaction - EOH World of Work programme (Johannesburg, 13 February 2015)
25
QUESTION 19
QUESTION 22
I am more confident about my chances of success at

work than before I participated in the Work Readiness
Programme. How true is this? Work can include
employment, self-employment or anything that earns
you money.
Very true
Partially true
71%
24%
No difference
in chance of
success
False
5%
0%
An overwhelming majority feel positive or very positive

about this statement, reinforcing the interpretation to
question 18 that learners feel that employers do not see
them as having high employment potential, in contrast to
their own feelings about their employability.
QUESTION 20
Even if I lost my current job, I would have a good
chance of getting another decent job. How true do you
think this is?
Very true
Partially true
Not sure
False
69%
25%
5%
1%
Very similar responses to question 19 providing additional

confirmation for its interpretation. These responses also
indicate that the work readiness programme is successful
at engendering a self-confidence that is not tethered to
one particular employment opportunity.
QUESTION 21
In two years time I will be promoted or I will get a
significant increase in my salary or income. How true
do you think this could be?
Very true
Partially true
No
difference
in chance of
promotion
False
56%
32%
8%
4%
The responses here confirm again that learners have

positive future expectations of success in employment
(as in question 17), while the answers to question 18
suggest they are not sure that it will be with their current
employer.
26
Within 5 years time I will be able to afford to buy the

following:
Options
Selected as
count
Selected as
percentage of total
counts
New clothes
36
5%
A better cellphone /
mobile phone
42
6%
A laptop or computer
59
9%
I will be able to move

to live in a better
neighbourhood or
township or suburb
45
7%
To rent a better house,

flat or apartment
27
4%
A better school for my

child / children
52
8%
A car
96
14%
A qualification or
course for myself or my
partner
73
11%
A medical aid policy
70
11%
An investment policy
71
11%
To buy a house, flat or

apartment
91
14%
TOTALS
662
100%
This question was intended to gauge the positive future

expectation of learners, measure the relative importance
of self versus family and community needs, and the
extent to which learners were perceiving themselves
to be economically empowered beyond meeting basic
financial needs.
The frequency of selection of a car and buying a
house or flat8, among the most expensive options on
the list, together with the infrequency of selection of
new clothes and a new cellphone, suggests learners
are viewing their economic empowerment in significant
terms, and are aiming high for their future prospects.
Of relevance to the impact on community of learners
is the relatively low ranking of moving to live in a
better neighbourhood, township, or suburb, suggesting
perhaps a level of commitment and loyalty to their current
relationships.
8 Rather than renting one, which was also an option but gathered about of
the selections
QUESTION 23
FEBRUARY 2015
QUESTION 25
I have internet access during the day for...

(Internet access can be through your smart phone,
your laptop or workstation at work or at home)
No
internet
access
Less than
one hour
For part of the

day or part of
the night
All day or
all night
All day
and all
night
5%
5%
25%
29%
36%
25%
65%
10%
This was a general question to benchmark an important

indicator in technological access for the group of
learners. It is very encouraging to see that almost two
thirds of the sample have internet access for 12 hours
a day or more and this confirms the suitability of the
learning sites in South Africa for some of the more
advanced potentials of Digital Jobs Africa.
QUESTION 24
My child / children are better off now than before I
participated in the Work Readiness Programme. How
true is this? "Better off" here means they have more of
their needs and wants met.
Very true
Partially
true
No
difference
False
I dont have
children
12%
13%
11%
4%
36%
30%
32%
28%
10%
The second row of responses above excludes the

sample who do not have children.
It shows that 62% of the sample with children feel
they are better off in some way than before the work
readiness programme. This is probably a higher than
expected result given that the programme has only
completed recently for many of the learners.
My partner is better off now than before I participated

in the Work Readiness Programme. How true is this?
You "partner" here means your wife / husband or your
boyfriend /girlfriend if you are living together. "Better off"
here means they have more of their needs and wants
met.
Very true
Partially true
No difference
False
I dont have
a partner
10%
20%
19%
5%
46%
19%
37%
36%
8%
The second row of responses above excludes the

sample who do not have partners.
Partners fare worse than children in comparing the
responses for questions 24 and 25. Significantly while
46% of the sample does not have a partner, 64% do
have children revealing a vulnerability in this group which
must be factored into to the design of such programmes.
This statistic, taken together with the financial
vulnerability of this group (see question 13) is relevant to
future work readiness programmes which should build
this consideration into the design of the programme.
QUESTION 26
It is important to me that my child / children learn how to
use computers and the internet How true is this?
Very true
Partially true
False
I dont have
children
41%
3%
1%
55%
It is surprising that 55% of the sample said they do not

have children in responding to this question, versus 36%
in question 24.
This may be explained by understanding the single
parent dynamic revealed in the responses to question 25
and 23. Parents not involved in the day-to-day upbringing
of the child may answer that they do have children when
the question is phrased about the general well-being
of the child, and that they dont have children when the
question relates to bringing up the child (exposing them
to technology), as this may be something they have less
control over.
Future surveys should determine the single parent
status of learners at the start of the survey to make
interpretation clearer.
The fact that the overwhelming majority of respondents
with children are aware of the importance of teaching
them technology skills is a positive indicator for the
technological aspects of Digital Jobs Africa.
27
QUESTION 27
QUESTION 28
If there is a crisis in my family, we are now better able

to respond to it than before I participated in the Work
Readiness programme. How true is this? A crisis here
can be something unexpected that forces you to spend
more money than you budgeted for, or that makes your
life difficult in an unexpected way.
Very true
Partially true
False
No difference
30%
44%
3%
23%
This question is aimed at perceptions of resilience in the

learner group. Resilience is one of the focus areas of
the Rockefeller Foundation, and vulnerability to shocks
and stress characterises acutely the poor in developing
countries who are unable to draw on personal and
community buffers availability to others.
It is interesting that almost three quarters of the sample
feel to some degree more resilient subsequent to the
work readiness programme and perhaps shows a closer
link between education, employment and resilience than
has previously been expected.
Since I participated in the World of Work programme,

I have bought, or will in the next 6 months buy, one or
more of the following for my child / children:
Options
Selected as
count
Selected as percentage of
total counts
New clothes
38
16%
Toys
20
8%
Medical attention
13
5%
A school book/s or
educational materials
33
14%
Furniture or bedding
19
8%
A cell phone or laptop

or computer
19
8%
I dont have children
99
41%
TOTALS
241
100%
This question could form a useful benchmark for future

research.
The figure of 41% for I do not have children is between
the previously reported 36% (question 24) and 55%
(question 25) which seems to confirm it varies depending
on how much influence a single parent has over the child
in relation to the question being asked.
The intention of this question was to measure learner
future expectations as well as the indirect impact on
family of the programme. The options were ranked in
order of increasing cost, although medical attention could
arguably vary considerably in cost.
The relatively low number of selections of cellphone,
laptop or computer could be ascribed to the relative
youthfulness of the respondents and therefore the young
age of their children.
Other than revealing a preference for educational
spending on children, and the relative importance of
clothing, the question does not provide any other insight
into learners perceptions of their spending on family.
28
FEBRUARY 2015
CONCLUSION
QUESTION 29
I can do more for my community now than before I
participated in the Work Readiness programme. How
true is this? You community can be your neighbours,
your church, your sports club, your political party and
your extended family (cousins, uncles, aunts etc).
Very true
Partially
true
False
No difference
34%
42%
3%
21%
The positive responses to this question indicate good

alignment with Digital Jobs Africa objectives, in terms of
impact on the community, with over three quarters of the
sample responding affirmatively. More detailed research
will be needed to confirm this learner perception.
QUESTION 30
I am now more active in my community than before I
participated in the Work Readiness programme How
true is this? You community can be your neighbours,
your church, your sports club, your political party and
your extended family (cousins, uncles, aunts etc).
True
False
No difference
53%
6%
41%
The survey, while small and limited in certain respects,

suggests that the EOH Work Readiness Initiative is
tapping into a valuable talent pool with high levels of
motivation and engagement. A composite picture of the
group can be constructed from the survey and can be
described as follows:
Learners are very positive about the programme
and feel that it is equipping them with skills
relevant for employment. They report changes
in attitude and behaviour that were targeted by
the programme design.They are very confident
about their potential and their future in the
workplace even though they perceive their
current employers as not fully acknowledging
their abilities. They want additional support
in the workplace and extra opportunities to
practice in the classroom, more than they want
increased financial support. Their families are
benefiting from their participation in the project
and they are committed to their communities,
even though they seem less involved than
before.
This question is aimed at community action whereas

question 29 was aimed at capability for community
action. An interesting shift occurs when actual activity
in the community is queried, and now only 53% of the
respondents confirm community activity. The fact that
only three answers are available is possibly also a
contributing factor to the shift in responses away from
community engagement.
An explanation for the shift could be that while learners
now feel more empowered to affect community change,
they have less time to do so, because of employment and
educational responsibilities.
This is a tentative indication that Digital Jobs Africa
may need to actively design innovative community
involvement opportunities for beneficiaries, to counter
the decrease in opportunities that may be attendant on
improvements in their employment conditions.
A learner from the Liberty 2015 Group EOH World of Work programme
(Johannesburg, 13 February 2015)
29
LEARNER: DAVID MABASA (29)

30
INTERVIEWS
During August 2014 a total of 34 people were
interviewed: 29 learners, three managers and two
mentors. Of these, 14 were selected to appear in this
report. Interviews have been edited for ease of reading
and are available on request as summary transcripts or
audio files. A promotional video of the work readiness
initiative, including snippets of the interviews has been
produced by EOH.
LEARNERS
DAVID MABASA
David Mabasa was very confident but had walked a
journey to get there. Starting out in a remote village he
chose a different path from his rural entrepreneur parents
and has followed a circuitous route to finally end up in IT
Systems Support. His confidence seems to stem partly
from the orientation the work readiness programme gave
him in dealing with cocky city dwellers, and in organising
his daily tasks.
Full name
David Mabasa
South African Identity

Number
8409285759085
Learning group
System Support G1
Gender
Male
Age
29
Occupation
IT Systems Support Technician
Race
African
Born
Limpopo
Siblings
Parents
Both parents alive and working as

entrepreneurs
Children
2 children: 8 years old and 3 years

old
Highest grade at
secondary school
12
Post schooling
qualifications
N3 Electrical Engineering (vocational

college)
A+
N+
Currently studying
Learnership in Systems Support
Employer
EOH MS PS
Self-organisation
I dont find [my job] really challenging because thats
what I love. When I wake up in the morning I draw my
working plan, like today, I know that yesterday I had a call
for a printer for instance, or I had a call for a scanner, so
I know that in the morning, what I do first is to go there
and finish up what I didnt finish up last night, if that is
FEBRUARY 2015
[the case], but if I dont have [work from yesterday] then I

have to look at my day, and look at the challenges I have
for that specific day.
Children
I was blessed with two kids: Precious (8 years old, girl)
and Musa (3 years old, boy).
First visit to a city and first job

The first job that I worked in here in Pretoria was a
garden service. I had to cut grass, fix flowers, it was not
that easy. I remember that I was getting R860 per month
[salary]... And then my second job... was an eco gardens
company, I worked for 6 months and then for 7 months
I was at home [unemployed], but I was here in Pretoria,
trying to throw [submit] the CVs. The other job that I
got we were doing polystyrene [manufacturing]. It was
a three months contract.
Reflection on the work readiness programme

It definitely did help me to start with [the day], to diarise
my work and to start my day with a positive attitude
whatever I am doing if I see a need [to note something], I
make a note.. Every morning when I go to work I start my
day by diarising my things, like today for instance, if I am
going to install a scanner, I know that I have a scanner in
Thembisa, and after when I am done I know that I have
a new user at Alexandria, so I know how to schedule my
time, by this time I am going to be in Thembisa, and then
I am going to be in Alexandria. Where as before I didnt
do that. If I spent more time [than I should have] I didnt
worry [now] I make sure that the user doesnt have [a
reason] to complain. So if a user calls, I say I am still in
Thembisa, just give me an hour but I will let you know,
I will update you. Its something which I wasnt doing
before, now I am doing it it has helped a lot in my life
and it can still help a lot of people.
Co-operating with people

I know how to co-operate with people the first time I
stepped in to [work], some people were very rude. Even
if you are asking a very simple thing, like Sorry can I ask
about the bathroom?. They just say, The sign is there!
Why should you ask?! Do you understand? Things like
that. So I see that this [programme] was very useful to
me because I know how to talk to people, I know how to
plan my day, now I know how my brain works, because I
remember Ralph was teaching us that some people are
left brain and some people are right brain, so I didnt
know where my brain was [laughing], until I found out that
I am left brain, too much technical mind.
Support from family and then from EOH

My family never gave me negative mind. Even if I didnt
have enough money to attend, this is while we were
stilling going to Sunninghill, they were making sure I had
money to attend classes and to buy books. The good
thing is that EOH were [later] providing everything for us
like transport, books and all those kind of things.
Interviews
31
On the importance of technology

As we are living today, we are living in a technology
[world on a] daily basis. What we do mostly is
technology. I saw the way people struggled, and the way
I was struggling even if things are difficult there are still
a lot of people outside there that can help them, and a
lot of research they can do that can take them far We
have internet, these days most people have phones that
allow them to do to google research.
DIKELEDI MALOMANE
Dikeledis parents were tough on her, but not as tough
as employers who refused to give an inch on their
requirement for work experience. Fortunately she is a
fighter, and does not give up. After seeking employment
for years she finally got the break she needed and is now
a confident and experienced IT worker.
Full name
Dikeledi Malomane
South African Identity

Number
8709240423085
Learning group
System Support G1
Gender
Female
Age
27
Occupation
IT Systems Support Technician
Race
African
Born
Mpumalanga
Siblings
Parents
Lives with both her parents in

Krugersdorp
Children
1 boy (two years old)
Highest grade at secondary

school
Learner: Dikeledi Malomane (27)
Post schooling qualifications
Diploma in Information Technology

(Programming)
Currently studying
Learnership in Systems Support
Employer
EOH MS PS
Upbringing
I grew up in Mpumalanga [with my grandmother]. When
I was 10 years old my mother decided to come and fetch
me [to live in Joburg].
Was it a shock to see the big city?
I was scared. I take time to adjust to change. Moving
from home and coming here I did not understand at all.
And I was young then but I said ok because this is what
my mother wants there is nothing I can do My father
is working at the mines. At least I was living with my
parents.
On the importance of experience

After I completed my diploma it was difficult because
everywhere you go, every company you enter, they
will ask for experience. I remember I was called for
an interview at Bank City in Johannesburg. Oh I was
excited, I was happy, saying, Oh, this is my big chance
now to change my life. Then when I got there they asked
me about experience and I didnt have any experience remember? I was just from school. They asked me about
systems development. They asked me, Do you have any
experience in this field?, and I said, No I dont. The only
time I remembered creating a system was at [college],
but I didnt have any experience in a workplace. Uh it
was a big disappointment for me. So I had to move on.
32
FEBRUARY 2015
LEARNER: DIKELEDI MALOMANE (27)
Interviews
33
LEARNER: MAFETE (MPULE) MAKGALATIBA (24)

34
Steps through the desert - volunteering

After that I was just sitting at home [unemployed]. And
then I decided to volunteer at Rietvallei Clinic for youthfriendly services. I was multitasking there and was
nominated as a Project Manager. We did antenatal care,
dealing with youth, encouraging youth, family planning,
abortion advice, safe-sex, etc. For almost a year I was
volunteering.
Steps through the desert - call-centre training

Then after a year I decided to move on. I went to study
for a call-centre [job]. From IT Diploma to a call-centre,
can you imagine? The way I was desperate for a job.
They said, You know what, in call centre[s] there are
lots of opportunities, you can get a job. After I was done
studying [call-centre operations], [it was] the same route,
going back to experience. I didnt have experience in a
call-centre. Even though I also had an IT Diploma, but I
had no experience working in a call-centre so I was back
to square one.
Steps through the desert - Stats SA

Then it was the 2011 [National] Census. I submitted my
CV, they called me to come and write a test and I got a
position as a supervisor at Stats SA. In IT for all those
years there was [no work]. I never give up. I am a fighter.
One thing I told myself: when I give up, who is going to
fight for me?
How having a son changed her focus

Now its even worse because I have a son. I have to
provide for my son. That time was better because I was
alone, whatever I did at the shop was all about me, I
want those shoes, I want that [something]. Now I have a
son to look after, to give him a better future that I never
had, better opportunities that I never had. After the
census my contract [with StatsSA] ended.
Finally she landed an IT job

Still I was submitting my CV. Thats when I heard
about EOH. I went for an interview and then I got this
learnership at EOH. It was a big break for me, I dont
want to lie, it was a big break. Even now, if my contract
ends, at least I have something - experience. After how
long? I graduated in 2009. But right now I am enjoying
this. This is nice. This is a great experience. This is a
big break that I never thought, one day I will have this.
Even now when my contract ends I am not that stressed
because now that I have [experience], I can go to a
company and say, you know what, I can do this and that
for you. I can configure this, I can connect this printer to
that one, I can do anything [relating to] system support at least [now] I am confident.
Its not because we were stupid

Before they would ask you about this kind of a system,
and you dont know anything about it. Thats the reason
we failed in interviews not because we were stupid, its
because of the things they are going to ask you, you
FEBRUARY 2015
dont know [experientially]. When you have experience

its much simpler because you are confident and you
know that you will install Microsoft and it will work and
you can show the user how to print, everything is easier.
Experience is very important. I dont know how many
interviews I went to but there was no success because I
didnt have experience.
Her father was tough on her, and it helped

Thats why I think I am here, because of him [my father].
The way he pushes me. He says stand up and do it
yourself... My father was a hard worker, he wont feed
you anything [if you are lazy]. He will tell you, My child,
go out there and work. If you dont want a future then just
stay at home and stop wasting my time and my money.
I came and said to him that I am going to do a diploma
in [information] technology. Then he said, You see now,
you are talking. He would tell me, I will give you money
to go and fax and email and do everything, even buy
laptops and modems so that you can apply, but I will
never buy a car for you, I will never buy a house for you.
Go out there and stand up and fight.
And your mother?
Also my mother. The same. They believe that everything
you get in life you have to work for and stand up and
believe in yourself... Now here I am.
How does she see her future?

I want to grow up in this industry of IT. I want to become
a senior IT manager in a big company, or even EOH if
I get an opportunity. I am a self-starter, I dont wait for
somebody to say wake up, go to work.
MAFETE (MPULE) MAKGALATIBA

Mpule managed to complete grade 12 despite being one
of seven children with no parental financial support. Her
older brother and sister pay for their siblings schooling.
Through the learnership she has been able to cover her
own tuition costs and is hoping to be able to help support
the family once she has permanent employment.
Full name
Mafete Makgalatiba
South African Identity Number
9001150701083
Learning group
System Support G2
Gender
Female
Age
24
Occupation
IT Systems Support
Technician
Race
African
Born
Limpopo
Siblings
Parents
Mother is housewife
Father is deceased
Children
One three year old son
Highest grade at secondary school
Grade 12
Interviews
35
N Certificate in Electrical
Engineering (in progress)
Full name
Makgotso Vinolia Leshaba
Currently studying
Learnership in IT Systems
Support (Level 4)
9306220584082
Learning group
End User G3
Employer
EOH MS PS
Gender
Female
Age
21
Occupation
HR Data Capturer
Race
African
Born
Vanderbijlpark
Siblings
Actually when I was doing matric my first option was

dietician. My second choice is IT but because of money
I didnt manage to do IT, thats why I applied for this
learnership. I did the electrical engineering course at
the FET college because it was not that expensive, but
actually I like IT.
Parents
Mother is single and disabled
Background
I was 18 when I came to Joburg. If you are from a rural
place and you come here you see things are different
from home to Joburg. It was hard for me
1 daughter, three years old

school
10
I have one child. He is turning three years old in October.

He is staying at Limpopo with my uncles wife because I
was staying with my uncle before I came here.
Education and Development

Level 4
Currently studying
Learnership in End-user
Computing
Employer
EOH Human Resources
I have been working at EOH for three weeks now. We

are busy updating the calls from the [incident centre]
then we call the technician to update them. [The work
readiness programme] helped me a lot because now I
know how to communicate with people, how to respect
others, how to dress when you are going to work
because you cant just dress casual when you are going
to work.
Without this learnership her family of seven would

struggle to pay school fees
To be honest this learnership helped me a lot. From
my background, since my father passed away there is
no-body who can pay my school fees. Its my brother
who can pay my school fees and at home we are seven
children. So he used to pay my school fees and my
sisters school fees so it is hard for him to pay that. So
this learnership at least it helped me because I can pay
my [tuition]. And hopefully next year I will be taken on
as permanent [staff] and I am willing to do everything.
My brother and big sister and myself are the only ones
working. My brother and sister are supporting the other
children.
Vision for future

I would like to see myself completing my studies.
MAKGOTSO (VINOLIA) LESHABA

Vinolia was brought up in a family of seven by a single
mother who was paralysed in an motor accident when
Vinolia was in grade 2. She wants to pursue a career
that combines Human Resources and Information
Technology, and is still studying for her teaching degree
while doing the learnership programme.
36
Father is separated
Children
Background
I am staying with my mom at the moment. My mom is a
pensioner.
And you are seven siblings! Thats alot? And your dad?
They separated. Hes probably in Limpopo.
Did your mom raise all of you alone?
Yes she did. Thats why she had to go to pension at last,
to get her time to rest. She is really proud of me. She still
thinks I am young.
Her dream to be a teacher

I did [an] Education and Development [certificate, NQF
level 4] at Sedibeng College. It is Foundation Phase
Teaching I always wanted to be a teacher. Then I got
introduced to end-user computing after graduating. And I
became more interested in [computing].
I worked before at Elfed High School as a grade three
teacher. So EOH was my second job. I enjoyed teaching
at the school, but I get interested in lots of things. I am
still studying my teaching degree. And I am doing the
learnership... Its not difficult [to balance the studying]
because I am doing distance learning through UNISA.
So what are you going to do when you finish studying?
IT or teaching or both?
Both! How about I teach IT?
The programme helped her communicate

professionally
The programme was good. It was a new thing to me
it made me more ready about what I want and how
I should present myself as a professional. At school
they just teach you the basics, but at this programme
FEBRUARY 2015
LEARNER: MAKGOTSO (VINOLIA) LESHABA (21)
Interviews
37
LEARNER: MAVIS RAMOHLALE (25)

38
we learnt how to dress properly, and how to talk in a

professional way, and how to act, how to do your job.
It was very useful because before I would just act like
that without being professional, start shouting if I want
something and if something is wrong I would shout at the
others. But they showed me the right ways. I [get cross
with people now] but in a professional way. [For example]
I say, I think its wrong, but what do you think? How
about we do it this way? Whereas before I would say, Its
wrong, take it back!
FEBRUARY 2015
MAVIS RAMOHLALE
Mavis five siblings are financially supported by her older
brother. She speaks emphatically about the difference
between theoretical education and experiential learning
and has embraced digital work despite it being a mystery
to her community at home. One day she hopes to return
home and make children aware of the ways in which
information technology can expand your horizons.
Full name
Mavis Ramohlale
Her dream is to see her mother walk again
8810240965081
And what is your vision for the future, when your

programme and your degree are finished?
Learning group
Technical Support G1
Gender
Female
I am interested in IT and HR. I am thinking of studying

HR... My mom is paralysed. If I had enough funds to
make it possible that we can get some surgeries for her
I will do it. Its from an accident in 1997. She got a car
accident and her spinal cord was smashed. She is using
a wheelchair. She is doing good but I feel that I owe
her something, she has been there for me. [The spine]
can be fixed but only if you get the experts. She rolled
on a mountain, twelve times. Oh she is alive and she is
strong... You will be strong [if you have seven children]. I
was still in grade two at that time [of the accident]. She
brought me up even though she was paralysed. She
would give me a hiding when I am wrong, she wont say
I am paralysed I wont give you a hiding. If she had to
go to the school meetings she would be there. She is my
role model.
Age
25
Occupation
IT Support Technician
Race
African
Born
Polokwane, Limpopo
Siblings
Parents
Father died in 1999
Sometimes I feel like I lost that memory of seeing her

walking with her feet. I am used to seeing her using that
wheel chair. I want my dream to come true to see her
walking again.
Mother unemployed
Oldest brother supports family.
Children
1 boy three years old

school
12
Certificate in Office Management

& Technology
Currently studying
Learnership in IT Technical
Support
Employer
National Department of Public

Works
Background
I am from Limpopo, Polokwane. I grew up in rural area,
a village, a small village. We are six at home. Two boys,
four girls. I was raised by two parents. My father died
in 1999. My mom is not working. My brother is the only
one who is working. He is the one who is helping us
financially. He is the oldest.
Wanted to study computer science, but not able to

afford it
I was doing admin work in IT [at Tshwane University of
Technology]. There was no technical [component]. But I
wanted to study computer science, but because of money
I could not do it, so I did a short course. Its expensive.
But I tried to apply for students loans but I never got one.
How do you find what you are studying at the moment,
the learnership in IT Technical Support? And why do you
like IT?
When I got this learnership it was an opportunity
because I dont pay anything, they pay me to study.
[I like IT because] it is challenging, I want things that
are challenging. I know I am gonna learn new things.
Everyday you learn new things here.
Learner: Mavis Ramohlale (25)
Interviews
39
LEARNER: MOEKETSI SUPING (22)

40
The importance of having a mentor in the

workplace
Did you have a mentor at Tshwane University of
Technology (TUT)?
No you just have a boss. At TUT I learnt everything
myself. My mentor here told me everything here. It helps
because [here] its a different IT, not the one in the books,
its the real IT. It helps to have a mentor.
FEBRUARY 2015
MOEKETSI SUPING
Moeketsi got his first PC when he was in grade 8, by
assembling it from parts he was given. He wanted to
study IT after school but did not have the money to do
so, as he and his older sister had to support themselves.
So he became a panelbeater instead. Fortunately the
EOH learnership has given him the opportunity to now
realise his dream and technological talents.
How is IT different in the books from the real IT?
Full name
Moeketsi Suping
In the books you just read about IT, the PC, the
motherboard, but here you know how to assemble a PC.
So its different. I didnt know how to connect a mouse,
keyboard, power. I didnt know that. So they just taught
me that.
9205205549088
Learning group
System Support G1
Gender
Male
Age
22
Occupation
Race
African
Born
Ladybrand
Siblings
I would like to have a diploma in IT. Maybe next year I

can go register at TUT, maybe. Because I have applied.
I will start working in an organisation first and get more
experience [before starting my own company].
Parents
Mother passed away when he

was 18
Children
None
Her community does not understand IT as a field of

study nor as a career

school
12
Every month I go home. I want to encourage the

youngsters to do IT. I love to go to schools and
encourage them for there is more to life than sitting at
home in the village. They must explore, go visit other
cities.
None
Currently studying
Support
Employer

Works
Mavis, like many others we interviewed, wants to

study IT further
What are your plans for the future?
Supported by his older sister
Do you think IT is a good career option?

Yes. For me. I dont know about other people. For me.
Because others they want to be doctors they want to
be teachers. Even at home they dont understand why I
am doing IT. They want me to be a teacher. They dont
understand. What are you doing there? Why dont you
go to school and apply for a teaching course and teach?
But thats not what I want.
Background
What is it about IT that attracts you?
I completed my grade 12 in the year 2010, and then

I worked at Ladybrand Panel Beaters for a year its
only me and my sister at home. We group up together.
My mother passed away in 2005. My father is staying
in Bloemfontein. I stayed with my sister and got support
from my aunties. My sister is working at the moment
doing [community development].
I did computer at school. Thats when I wanted to know

much about computers.
He built his first computer from scratch in grade 8

I went straight to work after grade 12. I always wanted
to study for IT, [thats how I found out about the EOH
learnership opportunity].
Why were you interested in IT?
Because IT is everywhere, you go outside its IT.
Everything is about IT. I enjoy it very much. [I got my
first computer] in 2006. I built it from scratch by myself.
Then I was still at school. I was in grade 8. I had a lot
of friends; they organised parts for me to build the PC. I
was struggling at first but I asked people who knew more
about computers and they helped me.
What did you do on the computer?
I watched movies, learned how to type, worked on the
Microsoft [Office] Suite.
Interviews
41
LEARNER: ROFHIWA TSHAUTSHAU (25)

42
FEBRUARY 2015
Why didnt you go to college after grade 12?
I wanted to be a nurse. I like to help people.
Because of financial problems I couldnt study any

further. It was too expensive for me.
Are you happy now that you have reached the IT field
somehow?
Yes now I am happy because at first I didnt know much
about anything practical. But since I have come here I
have learned many things practically. Before I only knew
things from a book.
ROFHIWA TSHAUTSHAU
Rofhiwa grew up with no father and an unemployed
mother. After finishing school she wanted to become a
nurse but had no money for tuition. She was one of the
best spoken learners but confessed that she was terrified
of speaking in front of people until she went through
the work readiness programme. Her confidence has
benefitted from being able to help senior government
officials with their IT woes.
It was very interesting. [The trainer] was showing us how

to behave at work. I didnt know how to talk in front of
people. I was so scared, so that guy really helped me to
be able to talk in public. It helped me [at work] a lot.
Can you give me an example?
Now I can handle any challenge. When you work with
people there are different people. [The trainer] was telling
us when we come across this [communication] challenge
how you can handle it. There are some very rude people,
you just have to be yourself and do what you are here to
do.
What is your plan for your future?

For now I am thinking of going to [college]. If I get
employed I will get money so that I can study IT because
I am interested in it now.
Full name
Rofhiwa Tshautshau
8903270700088
We are doing things that some people in top

positions are not able to do
Learning group
What interests you about IT?
Gender
Female
Age
25
Occupation
Race
African
The way we are fixing things because we are doing

some things that people in top positions (Directors etc),
they dont know how to send or receive emails but we as
juniors we know how to help them.
Born
Venda
Siblings
3 sisters
Yes. Its very challenging sometimes but interesting.
Parents
Mother unemployed, father

worked as a barman, passed
away from illness 2013
Reflection on learnerships
Children
None

school
12
End User Computing Certificate
Currently studying
Support
Employer

Works
Is IT a good field for young people?
[Companies] must [offer] more learnerships. Just like

me I was not doing anything and I had no money to go
to school but now I am doing something so I think they
should create more learnerships for people who dont
have money to [study further].
Learner: Rofhiwa Tshautshau (25)
Background
I have three sisters. My dad passed away last year. I
only have my mom, she is unemployed. My dad was
working at Joburg Country Club, he was a barman
there. He was sick. I only have grade 12 because I was
staying with my mom but my father was not there for us.
My mom was not working so I did not go to college or
anything. I passed matric and did a learnership for End
User Computing for Scaw Metals. Then I got a job at
a media research company, doing surveys, going from
province to province. I enjoyed the survey work, I loved
travelling. It was my chance to see the provinces.
What was your dream at school?
Interviews
43
What would you like to do in the future?
SHERMAUN LOUW
Shermaun grew up in Johannesburg and planned to
become a chef but was not able to study further and
signed up for the learnership with EOH. The work
readiness programme taught her to be circumspect about
sharing personal information with work colleagues which
has made her conduct at work more professional.
Full name
Shermaun Louw
9410190151086
Learning group
Gender
Female
Age
19
Occupation
Race
Coloured
Born
Boksburg
Siblings
Parents
Both parents currently working
I want to work in IT admin because I like to work with

paperwork, since I work in the storeroom I feel like thats
for me, I can operate in the store room.
Would you advise young people to go into IT as a
career?
Yes because without IT there is no life here outside,
so you must have IT, and a lot of people don't know IT,
especially for the generation coming up, I prefer them to
learn more about IT.
A lot of people [in my community] dont know about IT
so they call me and I help them, but if I dont know how
to help them I come back the next day and I ask my
previous mentor how to deal with that situation and then
I go back to that person and I help my neighbours and
stuff.
Mother in cosmetics, father in

mining industry
Children
None

school
Grade 12
None
Currently studying
Support
Employer

Works
Background
When I finished school in 2012 I wasnt planning on
getting into IT, I was more interested in becoming a
chef. I applied at the university to study to be a chef and
waited for six months, but the opportunity came by [to do
the learnership] and I took it. IT is a nice experience to
know more about technology and it makes life easier.
People stab you in the back at work and the

programme helped me deal with that
There was a lot of stuff I didnt know about myself [that I
learned from the programme]].
And how did it affect your work at DPW?
We have different types of people at [this] work. It built
us up, to make us stronger to face those people and deal
with them in a certain way. [For example] people stab
you behind your back, even though they [seem] friendly,
and now you know how to deal with it. [The programme
told us:] Dont differentiate from that person, but dont tell
them stuff that is not supposed to be for them. You dont
share too much information about yourself, just be about
the workplace, no personal business.
44
Learner: Shermaun Louw (19)
FEBRUARY 2015
LEARNER: SHERMAUN LOUW (19)
Interviews
45
MANAGERS & MENTORS

GENEVIEVE HUMAN (TEAM LEADER)
Genevieves learners are on an End-User Computing
Learnership. Her team is busy supporting a paperless
drive by her employers HR department. This involves
receiving boxes of employee records, preparing them
for scanning, scanning, storing and electronically and
archiving the re-boxed physical records.
Ten learners are helping her and making the work go
much faster. Genevieve experienced the quality of work
from the learners before the EOH Work Readiness
Programme, and afterwards, and is thus able to provide
a qualified before-and-after perspective.
Makgotso (Vinolia) Leshaba whose interview appears in
this report, is under Genevieves supervision.
Genevieve you were here before the work readiness
programme and afterwards. Did you notice an
improvement?
A lot hey. Before they went through to Seibeng there
was a lot of fighting amongst them, they didnt do their
work, they always quarreled amongst each other. But
when they came back there was a big difference. The
dress codes as well. There is a lot that changed. In the
beginning it was each one for himself. But after they
came back they started working together, speaking to
each other if they dont understand something. So team
work does play a big role in it.
Its always quite hard to have learners in a workplace.
What would you say to another team leader that is having
learnership candidates or new learners in the workplace.
What would you say to them as advice?
Before [the learners] come [to the workplace] they really
need to go to the [work readiness] training they went on,
because when they went to Sedibeng for this training,
when they came back there was a huge difference.
Before [the learners] come out to the workplace they
need to go through this process to make them ready for
everything.
Do you find that a lot of your time has to be spent
supporting the learners?
In the beginning it was like that but now not at all. They
ask each others questions, they communicate with each
other. And at first they all used to come to me and I used
to help them, but after everything they deal with each
other. When they are unsure of something then they will
come to me and ask me.
46
JAUN RUST (MANAGER)

Jaun (pronounced as in the French Juan), is the manager
for 19 learners placed with EOH Managed Services,
a division of EOH Abantu (Pty) Ltd. He is the Regional
Manager for Gauteng in their Field Support Services,
which has 187 employees nationally. He is responsible
for providing on-site IT support to contractual clients
after their service desk has first attempted to resolve the
issue remotely. This includes looking after the day to day
operations of call handling, incident handling, resource
management and customer satisfaction.
Customer orientation and IT skills sets are the key
success factors he looks for in his employees. Exposing
learners to the how of IT support is the most important
experience he feels he can give learners in this
pressurised work setting.
Soft skills such as those taught in the EOH work
readiness programme are a critical part of preparation
for learners in his unit, given the emphasis on customer
service in their performance areas.
David Mabasa & Dikeledi Malomane, whose interviews
appear in this report, are under his supervision.
You find it typically with students coming out of the
colleges and out of their technical training and now they
think that they know all. Thats where you have to take
them to the reality and give them that guidance and say
listen, this is how you treat a customer, this is how you
deal with a customer. What do you do with a customer
when they are irate and angry and their business is
standing still. To them its money, to them its a crisis,
and the crisis can be as small as a key not working on a
keyboard. And you have to understand and sometimes
its something thats not within your realm of ability to fix.
It could be a Telkom (telco) line, but you have to then
coach your customer and make them understand okay
that this is the problem, this is what you are going to do
to resolve the problem.
PAUL SERFONTEIN (MANAGER)

Paul is the national manager for a division of EOH
called Infrastructure Deployment Operations (IDO). They
implement new cabling infrastructure including LAN
connectivity, IT configuration and installation. Once they
set up the new infrastructure, Field Support Services
(see Jaun Rust interview), maintains and supports it.
The nature of this work is repetitive, project based and
comes with detailed work instructions. The structured
nature of this environment makes it easier to include
interns and learners on-site which makes them suitable
to host learnership programmes.
Anything out there as soon as you learn it in class,
its actually dated in the environment already. I support
this initiative very much because they are getting that
experience. They know what actually happens, why its so
important to do incident management on calls. Thereafter
why are soft skills so important. Communication wins
90% of your work ethic for instance. So we try and
teach and coach the learners as much as possible on
soft skills, so that when they are in the field, its how you
portray yourself and the professionalism thats coming
out from there.
All our employees that are in the field, that is EOH. The
end-user doesnt always interact with us as managers,
so those people are our assets, and people make it
happen. Further than that, out customers have an ICT
portfolio, and we as their outsourced supplier, are the
extension of that portfolio, so we are portraying them,
thats why [its so important that our frontline staff are
professional].
FEBRUARY 2015
Do you have a message for anyone who is afraid to get

involved in training in the workplace? Maybe they just
want new employees to be ready when they walk in the
door?
Not at all. Because I work in projects you see the
environment as how it was before, and after youve
done the project, you see the results. And I see this
with everything we do. We take on raw talent and weve
got that opportunity to make them or break them. And
its to mould that person so that they can get enough
knowledge to go out there and be work ready for the next
person that does want to do it. And because its similar in
working with projects, its amazing to see how a person
comes in and how the leave at the end of the day.
Do you think there is a future for young people in learning
to understand technology, the internet, computers? Is this
an expanding place in South Africa?
For me the future is there. So long as they are willing to
learn. That is the future. I cannot see it going any other
way at this stage.
Managers: Genevieve Human, Jaun Rust & Paul Serfontein

(lef t to right, top to bottom)
Interviews
47
RAMADIMETSE MAKGATI (MENTOR)

Ramadimetse is an IT Technician at the Department of
Public Works. She is mentoring two learners (Rofhiwa
Tshautshau and Walton Blok).
When they first got here they didnt know anything.
They learned and were dedicated and now they are
good. Confidence was an issue when they first got
here but now it is building up. I enjoy being a mentor. I
enjoy being a boss [laughs]. They help [me] a lot. Now
they know everything I am doing so my workload has
decreased.
Would you recommend mentoring to other people in the
workplace?
I would do. As for feeling, knowing that you have helped
these people who didnt know anything.
VERONICA MOROTOBA (MENTOR)

Veronica is also an IT Technician and is mentoring
Mavis Ramohlale and Mampho (Patricia) Mosikidi. Both
learners were interviewed for this report. Mavis interview
appears in the report.
How are you finding the mentoring experience?
At first it wasnt easy due to the fact that the learners
were not familiar with the work environment. But as time
went on everything was perfectly fine. Now I can even
relax and send them to do my task. They can be able to
do that on their own.
What did you have to do to get them to the place where
they can now do your work?
It involved commitment from them and from me, and to
show me that they are willing to learn and to work.
What would you say to other people who are busy
working and have an opportunity to mentor? Would you
recommend it as an experience or would you tell them its
a tough job, dont go there?
No I would recommend them to mentor interns, even
if they are not exposed to a work environment. In fact
I think its better if they have not been exposed at all.
It kind of shows how good you are as a mentor if I
taught somebody who is clueless and then that person
becomes a technician. I am very proud of myself with
them.
Keep on bringing them. We are ready for them. We will
teach them everything we know.
VUYO SIBEKO (MANAGER)

Vuyo is an Assistant Director at Department of Public
Works (DPW) in their Human Capital Investment
directorate. DPW employs approximately 6,000 people.
It is responsible for managing the implementation of
their learnership and internship programmes, their
management trainees, and their young professionals or
candidacy programme.
48
They also implement the internally executed projects,

such as a call centre operation, and the certification of
internal auditors who already have some professional
qualification. The call centre operation which was
previously outsourced but has now been taken on as an
internal project. It sits with her directorate because it has
a youth development element. Her directorate also has a
water treatment project which is responsible for providing
accommodation and sanitation on behalf of other
government departments, especially in areas outside of
municipalities.
They run several on-the-job training programmes through
the Department of Higher Education & Training and
Sector Education & Training Authorities (SETAs). They
have just over 400 technical college students in these
programmes, as college students often miss out on
work experience and bursary opportunities available for
university or SETA students.
They also have a schools programme for Grade 10
- 12 high performing Maths & Science students from
disadvantaged areas. These students are offered
bursaries for careers in the built environment after they
complete their schooling.
In total there are more than 500 learners in the
organisation. Government has mandated that its
departments should appoint up to 5% of their workforce
as trainees.
How important is work readiness for the learners you are
dealing with here?
It is very important to have a work readiness workshop
for the learners, especially the ones just coming straight
from [studying]. It might be a person who is having a
grade 12, or a person who is having a diploma or a
certificate or a degree. We want to install principles
in them. Time management, financial management,
responsibility and accountability.
In terms of impact on the country, the community, the
families, is there anything you can tell us as to how
effective these kind of programmes are?
Some of their parents are not working, or a person is
raised by a single parent. We normally come across
cases like those. In one of our [other projects] we had
146 grade 12 students from a poverty stricken rural area
which was very dry. We took them through our skills
development training programme, and now we have
absorbed all of them into permanent positions. So we
have assisted the community in terms of the poverty
burden. Most of them did not even have medical aids.
And also now they are even motivating the other youth
in their community to say that there are opportunities out
there its just for you to apply.
CONTACTS
CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
Name
Patrick Hijlkema
Designation
Executive: Human Capital
Cellphone
082 602 4471
Email
Patrick.Hijlkema@eoh.co.za
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Name
Michael Mann
Designation
General Manager: Proserve South

Africa
Cellphone
082 600 9739
Email
michael.mann@eoh.co.za
FEBRUARY 2015
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Digital Jobs in Africa: Catalyzing Inclusive Opportunities
for Youth (Dalberg, 2013).
Harji, K. & Best, H. Digital Jobs: Building Skills for the
Future (2013).
Kennedy, R., Sheth, S., London, T., Jhaveri, E., Kilibarda,
L. Impact Sourcing - Assessing the Opportunity for
Building a Thriving Industry.
Kirkpatrick, D.L., & Kirkpatrick, J.D. Evaluating Training
Programs (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1994).
Rogan, M., Diga, K., Valodia, I. The labour market and
digital jobs in Africa (Durban: Published by UKZN, 2013).
Business Address
Gilloolys View
Osborne Lane
Bedfordview
Johannesburg
2007
Mentors: Ramadimetse Makgati, & Veronica Morotoba

Manager: Vuyo Sibeko
(top to bottom)
Contacts
49
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1 - TOPICS COVERED BY THE EOH WORK READINESS PROGRAMME
My personal thinking style
My personal learning style
How I fit into the bigger picture of business
Understanding my personal uniqueness, interests and values
Developing my Personal Brand
Professional dress code
Behaving professionally within a business environment
Working within a team
Handling feedback appropriately
Communicating and interpreting communication effectively
Presenting information in different business formats
Personal effectiveness
Managing my time
Planning my workload
Understanding business expenditure and budgets
Managing my personal expenditure against a budget
Capitalising on my research and problem solving abilities
Managing change
How to bring creativity and innovation the workplace
50
FEBRUARY 2015
APPENDIX 2 - BREAKDOWN OF LEARNING GROUPS

PERIOD COVERED BY THE INTERIM NARRATIVE REPORT
Group Name
Nr of learners
Programme dates
Location
EOH Interns
46
November - January 2014
Gauteng, Johannesburg
EOH Interns
19
December - February 2014
EOH Interns
22
December - February 2014
EOH Interns
53
January - March 2014
Oracle
19
March - May 2014
MPC
April - June 2014
Western Cape, Milnerton
MPC
11
May - July 2014
Western Cape, Milnerton
System Support G1
20
May - July 2014
Gauteng, Pretoria
System Support G2
18
May - July 2014
Gauteng, Sunninghill
End User G1
26
May - July 2014
EOH Interns G1
14
June - August 2014
EOH Interns G2
20
June - August 2014
EOH Technical Support G1
14
June - August 2014
Gauteng, Sandton
18
June - August 2014
Gauteng, Sandton
15
June - August 2014
EOH End User G2
21
June - August 2014
Western Cape, Atlantis
EOH End User G3
16
June - August 2014
Gauteng, Van der Bijl Park
EOH System Support G3
15
June - August 2014
KZN, Durban
18
June - August 2014
KZN, Durban
24
June - August 2014
North West, Rustenberg
27
June - August 2014
Limpopo, Phalaborwa
24
July - September 2014
Limpopo, Polokwane
33
Limpopo, Malamulele
EOH End User G4
24
Gauteng, Heidelberg
Fasset G1
10
Limpopo, Phalaborwa
Fasset G2
27
Limpopo, Polokwane
Fasset G3
15
Limpopo, Polokwane
Fasset G4
15
Gauteng, Witbank
EOH End User G5
28
Gauteng, Heidelberg
Investec G1
22
Gauteng, Randburg
Investec G2
28
Gauteng, Sandton
Investec G3
17
TSS G1
15
Gauteng, Woodmead
Jascomp& Quarphix G1
22
August - Ocotber 2014
Gauteng, Woodmead
Jascomp & Quarphix G2
11
Gauetng, Randburg
Jascomp G1
21
Native G1
12
August - September 2014
Gauteng, Sandton
EOH KZN Group 3
August - October 2014
KZN, Durban
EOH Springs G1
11
Gauteng, Springs
Quarphix & Jasscomp G3
27
33
Gauteng, Randburg
21
Gauteng, Pretoria
19
Gauteng, Newtown
20
Gauteng, Newtown
907
SUB-TOTAL FOR PERIOD COVERED BY INTERIM NARRATIVE REPORT
Appendices
51
PERIOD COVERED SINCE THE INTERIM NARRATIVE REPORT

Group Name
Nr of learners
Programme dates
Location
Product One Group 1
16
September - November 2014
Gauteng, Centurion
EOH 400 "extras"
22
October -November 2014
Umfolozi Group 1
25
October - December 2015
KZN, Richards Bay
Umfolozi Group 2
25
November 2014 - January 2015
KZN, Richards Bay
Umfolozi Group 3
25
KZN, Richards Bay
Umfolozi Group 4
25
KZN, Richards Bay
Sedibeng 60 - VBD
24
December 2014 - February 2015
Gauteng, Van der Bijl Park
Sedibeng 60 -Heidelberg
35
December 2014 - February 2015
Gauteng, Heidelberg
Sodexo
32
January - February 2015
Gauteng, Jetpark
Massmart JHB
20
Liberty 2014 Group
10
Gauteng, Randburg
Massmart CT Group
13
Western Cape, Parow Valley
Massmart PE Group
Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth
Liberty 2015 Group 1
28
Gauteng, Braamfontein
28
34
30
27
22
Khulisa Group 1
20
KZN, Newcastle
Khulisa Group 2
15
KZN, Newcastle
Liberty Interns Group 1
17
14
13
GSK
16
Gauteng, Bryanston
Birchwood Group 1
18
Gauteng, Boksburg
Birchwood Group 2
19
Gauteng, Boksburg
Siyanqoba Group 1
32
Gauteng, Pretoria
Siyanqoba Group 2
32
Gauteng, Pretoria
Siyanqoba Group 3
10
Gauteng, Pretoria
Siyanqoba Group 4
22
Siyanqoba Group 5
20
Siyanqoba Group 6
28
Siyanqoba Group 7
20
Siyanqoba Group 8
30
Siyanqoba Group 9
30
Gauteng, Pretoria
Siyanqoba Group 10
26
Gauteng, Pretoria
Siyanqoba Group 11
26
Siyanqoba Group 12
26
882
SUB-TOTAL FOR PERIOD SINCE INTERIM NARRATIVE REPORT
A total of 907 learners were trained during the period covered by the interim narrative report and an additional 882 in the
period since then, making a total of 1,789 learners trained during the period covered by this report.
52
Appendices
FEBRUARY 2015
53
OUR OFFICE LOCATIONS

Head Office, Johannesburg
Postal Address
PO Box 59, Bruma
Johannesburg
2026
Physical Address
EOH Business Park, Gilloolys View, Osborne Lane,
Bedfordview
2007
Telephone: +27 (11) 607 8100
General fax no.: +27 (11) 616 9929
EOH Durban
Postal Address
PO Box 5198
Rydall Vale Park
4019
Physical Address
18 Cranbrook Crescent
Cranbrook Park
La Lucia Ridge Office Estate
4320
EOH 2014. Cover image Quaid Jones.

Authored by Mike Stuart, on behalf of EOH.
www.eoh.co.za

EOH Work Readiness Initiative - Final Narrative Report April 2015

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EOH Work Readiness Initiative - Final Narrative Report April 2015

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Supported by:

THE EOH WORK READINESS INITIATIVE

FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT FROM EOH

ABOUT THE PARTIES

THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION

Learner feedback survey

This project commenced on 1 March 2014 and was

WORK READINESS INITIATIVE UNDER DIGITAL JOBS FOR AFRICA

DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM AND THE OPPORTUNITY

DIGITAL JOBS AFRICA

THE EOH YOUTH JOB CREATION INITIATIVE

WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES?

THE WORK READINESS PROGRAMME 

THE LEARNER COMMUNICATION PLATFORM

WHAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN?

HOW ARE YOUTH AND WORKPLACES SELECTED?

WHAT WORKPLACES AND LEARNING SITES WERE SELECTED?

FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT FROM EOH

WHAT CHALLENGES WERE ENCOUNTERED?

WHAT LESSONS WERE LEARNED?

HOW HAS THE PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTED TO DIGITAL JOBS AFRICA? 17

LEARNER FEEDBACK SURVEY

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

MANAGERS & MENTORS

WORK READINESS INITIATIVE UNDER DIGITAL JOBS FOR AFRICA

In South Africa, EOH has sought to combine the

FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT FROM EOH

DIGITAL JOBS AFRICA

WHAT ARE DIGITAL JOBS?

High potential, disadvantaged youth across six

use tools such as computers, smart phones,

Their families and communities

benefit from the levelling effect of technology

Employers and the wider enabling environment

exist in almost every sector of the economy, and

WHY ARE DIGITAL JOBS RELEVANT TO AFRICA?

WORK READINESS INITIATIVE UNDER DIGITAL JOBS FOR AFRICA

Digital jobs depend on ICT infrastructure, which is why

CAN DIGITAL JOBS EMPOWER AFRICAN YOUTH?

GROWING DEMAND TO MATCH SUPPLY

Parents, mentors, tutors and master craftsmen were

FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT FROM EOH

WHY IMPACT SOURCING?

WHERE DOES SOUTH AFRICA FIT INTO THIS?

One of the recent trends in business efficiency is

In South Africa the outlook for youth employment is

Pursued blindly, BPO can negatively impact the

At an unbelievable high of 48% in 2009, the youth

The National Department of Public Works, a host employer for the

WORK READINESS INITIATIVE UNDER DIGITAL JOBS FOR AFRICA

THE EOH YOUTH JOB CREATION INITIATIVE

NOTES TO THE PRECEDING TABLE

Placement rate refers to post learnership employment, self-employment or further study

FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT FROM EOH

LINK TO THE EOH WORK READINESS INITIATIVE

When EOH first approached the Rockefeller Foundation

This section of the report describes the EOH Work

However the Foundation elected to support a smaller

WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES?

WORK READINESS INITIATIVE UNDER DIGITAL JOBS FOR AFRICA

THE EOH WORK READINESS PROGRAMME

A screenshot from the EOH Learner Communication Platform at www.eohwow.co.za

FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT FROM EOH

THE EOH LEARNER COMMUNICATION PLATFORM2

DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM AND THE OPPORTUNITY

DIGITAL JOBS AFRICA

THE EOH YOUTH JOB CREATION INITIATIVE

WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES?

THE WORK READINESS PROGRAMME

THE LEARNER COMMUNICATION PLATFORM

WHAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN?

HOW ARE YOUTH AND WORKPLACES SELECTED?

WHAT WORKPLACES AND LEARNING SITES WERE SELECTED?

WHAT CHALLENGES WERE ENCOUNTERED?

WHAT LESSONS WERE LEARNED?

HOW HAS THE PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTED TO DIGITAL JOBS AFRICA? 17

LEARNER FEEDBACK SURVEY

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

MANAGERS & MENTORS