Could hair and beauty training be the answer to the crisis of NEETs in South Africa?

Salons are positioned as the third largest informal market economy after spazas and takeaways according to market researchers, Frontline Africa. And as the demand for employment opportunities in the country increase, the industry is only set to grow in the coming years. Could training in this market provide the opportunities needed for South Africa’s youth to prosper?

Afrika Tikkun believe so and are looking to place their graduating hair and beauty certified students in positions that provide opportunities for growth.

A 2018 fact sheet on “NEETs” (Not in Employment, Education or Training) published by the Department of Higher Education and Training in 2018 reported that in the five year period between 2013 and 2017 “the number of youth (15-34 years) who were NEET in South Africa increased by 466,000 from about 7.4 million in 2013 to about 7.8 million in 2017”. It further stated that “most of the people who were NEET were African/Black and female. The share of the African/Black who were NEET remained high at about 84%, while the share of the females who were NEET was about 58% of the total NEETs in the same period”.

Onyi Nwaneri, Group Executive of Strategic Partnerships and Marketing at Afrika Tikkun says, “As an organisation focused on youth development, we are intent on changing these numbers. We offer numerous programmes designed to empower a greater proportion of South Africa’s youth to find employment and become productive citizens in society, and one of these is a new hair and beauty training programme created and run in partnership with UNT Consulting”.

The hair and beauty youth empowerment programme teaches young people from disadvantaged communities the most popular and profitable treatments that they can use to either find employment or to start their own business. It offers a dynamic syllabus that speaks to South Africa’s ethnic market and is updated regularly with the latest hair and beauty trends. Within the curriculum young people learn to do braids, dreads, cornrows, short cuts, razor cuts, extensions, relaxing and the making of wigs. Beauty training includes treatments such as the application of false eyelashes, acrylic nails, gel nails, and manicures and pedicures. The training programme runs for three months including 4 – 5 weeks of hair styling training, 3 – 4 weeks of beauty treatment training and a further 1 – 2 weeks work and industry readiness programme.

Shaun Unterslak, CEO of UNT Consulting says, “Currently, Afrika Tikkun is the sole funder of the course, empowering their graduates through the Career Development Programme (CDP) within their Cradle to Career 360º model. The programme is offered in four of the five communities that Afrika Tikkun operates in – Diepsloot, Orange Farm, Alexandra and Mfuleni”.

Nwaneri adds, “Afrika Tikkun entered the hair and beauty industry as it meets our criteria of selecting a career within a sustainable, high growth and profitable industry. As our five centres are township based, it presented a wonderful opportunity for our youth to grow in one of the largest informal sectors in SA”.

Afrika Tikkun is now looking to raise awareness around the fact that these SETA-certified (Sector Education and Training Authority) students are graduating in June and are looking for placement or mentorship opportunities in salons.

Should anyone know of any opportunities available or would like to take part in the campaign with mentorship and career prospects, please contact Shaun Unterslak on 072 517 8937 / shaununterslak@gmail.com or Onyi Nwaneri on 011 325 5914 / onyin@afrikatikkun.org

For more information on Afrika Tikkun and their initiatives call 011 325 5914, email info@afrikatikkun.org or visit www.afrikatikkun.org.

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