{
  "id": 16030109,
  "title": "Ramaphosa tells employers to stop treating inexperience as inability",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/ramaphosa-tells-employers-to-stop-treating-inexperience-as-inability",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-22T10:24:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/news/ramaphosa-tells-employers-to-stop-treating-inexperience-as-inability/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged South African employers to reconsider their hiring practices for young individuals, discouraging them from viewing a lack of work experience as a sign of limited ability. Addressing the SA Youth National Leadership Convening in Sandton, Ramaphosa stressed the need to break the cycle that prevents young people from finding jobs due to a lack of experience while denying them the chance to gain that experience.\n\nHe encouraged employers to consider factors such as potential, aptitude, determination, and willingness to learn, rather than solely focusing on formal qualifications and previous employment. Ramaphosa emphasized that the first opportunity often proves to be the most challenging and that the government cannot tackle youth unemployment by merely expanding existing programs.\n\nHe called for recruitment practices that emphasize skills development, mentorship, and training for young workers, rather than simply looking for candidates with formal qualifications and experience. Ramaphosa stressed that businesses must be prepared to provide opportunities for young people to develop their skills, offering contracts and market access to young entrepreneurs.\n\nThe president also urged a shift in focus from a heavy emphasis on university education, advocating for more young people to pursue technical and vocational careers, such as artisan work, building, electrical work, and agricultural specialization. Ramaphosa identified sectors like tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, digital services, and the green economy as having significant potential for youth employment.\n\nHe stressed the importance of collaboration between government, businesses, and training institutions to identify growing labor demand and provide young people with the skills required to fill these opportunities. Ramaphosa urged businesses to create concrete opportunities for young people and training institutions to strengthen their ties with employers, moving beyond mere commitments to measurable action. He stressed that young people are not seeking special treatment but a fair chance to work, learn, earn a living, and contribute to the country's development.",
  "summary": "Ramaphosa placed entrepreneurship at the centre of his youth employment strategy.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}