SAMED members contribute to the creation of 100 000 work experiences for previously unemployed youth.

SAMED is honoured and humbled to be in a partnership with Youth Employment Service (YES) South Africa. Through this partnership SAMED members have contributed to the creation of a staggering 100 000 jobs (in just a few short years and against economic and pandemic odds) for previously unemployed youth.

SAMED was fortunate enough to attend the YES 100 000 jobs milestone event on 28 May 2023. The event celebrated the conception, development and growth of the YES programme which is purely private sector funded. Government, business and youth share the immense impact of this initiative. Young people have, through YES, been able to further their studies, create their own businesses and leapfrog both their families and their communities from debilitating poverty, affording them social freedom.

Timothy Schultz (Partner, Buswick Group), Colin Coleman (former Chief Executive Officer of Sub-Saharan Africa, Goldman Sachs), Rudi Dicks (Head Project Management Office, Private Office of the President), Ravi Naidoo (Chief Executive Officer, YES), Stephen Koseff (Former Chief Executive Officer, Investec)) and Cas Coovadia (Chief Executive Officer, BUSA) were among the evening’s speakers. They shared their passion this programme and the lives that are changed by it – and their hopes for the future YES.

Youth employment, workplace skills development and the social and networking experience young people receive via the YES programme builds youth confidence and employability. This, in turn, builds a more sustainable business which enables a thriving economy and a stable South Africa.

SAMED salutes YES and all those SAMED member companies and others who have taken on this challenge to making South Africa bigger and better one YES youth at a time!

SAMED is of the view that the YES programme is an opportunity for the development of critical skills required by the medtech sector. Skills such as quality assurance, regulatory affairs, reimbursement, HTA and compliance can all be introduced to YES youth and will make unabsorbed youth more employable by SMMEs and other industry players at the conclusion of their 12-month work experience while simulations filling the skills gap of our industry.

Youth can also be placed with implementation partners with the intent that they learn systems, processes and skills that can then be brought back to their sponsoring company through contract or permanent employment opportunities.

Through the YES programme, members can build the talent pipelines the medtech sector needs for a secure and sustainable future. This is a WIN for the youth, the WIN for the participating company, a WIN for SMMEs, a WIN for medtech and a WIN for South Africa – that is a lot of wins.

YES also plans to target small business as there are over 2.5 million SMMEs in South Africa – imagine the power if each SMME creates just one or two workplace experiences! Many of SAMED’s members are SMMEs and so we call on our members to lead the pack and Say YES and provide youth the opportunity to move from learning to earning.

YES, together we can make 100 000 more game changers.