The FirstJob programme has reached White River and Uplands, with the arrival of three interns at the beginning of August. These young employees have joined the school in various divisions of Marketing, IT and Human Resources.
The FirstJob programme believes that people are important resources and their philosophy is in line with Uplands as they seek to attract, develop and maintain talent. This programme will ensure that the individuals are equipped with important skills and a work ethic through intentional learning in the workplace by building a foundation (attitude, high-demand skills and entrepreneurial mindsets) which will allow them to be more employable and work-ready. Uplands will be a part of bridging the gap between “education” and “work” by offering interns meaningful jobs and building their self-confidence for future work opportunities.
The selection process was rigorous and included various due diligence checks performed on all candidates selected after the interview process. The employment and placement criteria were restricted to youth between the ages of 18-34 and it was open to South African citizens only. Uplands selected the most suitable candidates to join the Uplands family for the next eleven months as part of this programme.
Desiree Raidoo, Head of Human Capital at Uplands, expressed her appreciation to the FirstJob programme for the innovative and professional process involved in achieving the goal of placing youngsters within the school. “Our goal is to support youth and education where possible, and to offer meaningful development at Uplands.”
The interns selected for the 2022 programme are Thandeka Mabandla in HR, Nomfundo Mazibuko in Marketing and Nolwazi Sengwayo in IT.