This article has been supplied and will be available for a limited time only on this website. Every year on 16 June, South Africa observes Youth Day; a reminder not only of the resilience and potential of the country’s young people, but also of the urgent need to create meaningful opportunities for them in the workplace.
South Africa’s youth unemployment, as one of the country’s greatest challenges, is on the mind of Johann le Roux, CEO of KAL Group, the JSE-listed diversified agri, fuel and lifestyle retailer, who says that investing in skills development, mentorship and leadership pathways has become increasingly important for business.
“South Africa’s youth unemployment challenge requires businesses to play a far more active role in developing career pipelines and creating environments where young employees can grow into future leaders,” says le Roux.
For KAL Group, this approach is already bearing fruit across both its agri-retail and fuel businesses, with structured programmes aimed at helping young employees grow from entry-level positions into leadership roles.
Through its subsidiaries Agrimark and PEG Retail Operations, the Group has invested significantly in training, bursaries and leadership development initiatives designed to create long-term career opportunities for employees.
