The Power of a Chance: Why Corporate SA Needs to Hire Hungry Youth. Featuring Lesego Shelembe, Specialist recruiter, Nedbank.

Speaker A: Welcome back to another exciting episode here on Solving the People Puzzle. It is so cool for me, my first guest in our new studio, Lesejo. Welcome. Hi. Thank you.

Speaker B: Thank you for having me.

Speaker A: And look at you dressed in your corporate beautiful green. And me and my Whamley tomato red. We're on brand.

Speaker B: Love it.

Speaker A: This is Solving the People Puzzle, where we discuss all things talent acquisition and human resource management. What an exciting topic today. I'm so excited. Before we jump into it, I would love for you to introduce yourself to the audience.

Speaker B: Sure. Where do I even start? So, I'm Lisa Koshalembe. I'm a specialist recruiter at NetBank, and I have the privilege of partnering with young talent and building pipeline for the business. I have the privilege of sitting in conversations with execs with business in trying to find the right resources to then add value to grow. Um, I have the privilege of then partnering with the young 10 that come in to then, you know, give them opportunity because of a lot of them that come into the corporate space. Either they're working for the first time, so I get to set the tone before they come into the business. Uh, a tall order. Uh, but it's. It's what I enjoy. I think where I am is a sweet spot in terms of recruitment strategy because it allows me to stay close to the talent and still make an impact. Um, and in the organization I work for, they've given me the privilege to, I guess, use my expertise to do good. I mean, Nipping's purpose is to use that financial expertise to do good, but I get to do good in my own way and make a difference in somebody else's life. Yeah.

Speaker A: Listen, so while you're talking, I resonate so much with Wamly.

Speaker B: Right.

Speaker A: We exist to help the world hire better people faster. And you use the word privilege. I like to use the word, um, we don't have to do it, we get to do it right. It's like this incredible. A couple of episodes ago last year, I spoke with TEMBY from sontown, and, um, she was as passionate like you remind me so much of that energy when. When I pick that up, I know it's not fake. Like, you genuinely, genuinely care about this young talent program that you're busy with. And I can't wait to unpack more with you. I've got so many questions before we do. Did you know that this was going to be your career and your passion? Like, did you set out to do this, or did it kind of just happen?

Speaker B: I think it kind of just happened but I was having a conversation with a friend not so long ago and was like you know, in race. Um, so I used to go to UJ and you know that risk of the hc, the House committee kind of element and I was part of those um, structures and whatn. Um, I studied public management and governance. I went into do an advanced diploma in management practices. I did a bit of accounting. So somebody gave me a chance and I ended up in learning and development. I ended up in training and you speak of temby. I also used to work at the Auditor General of South Africa and that for me was giving back to my country. That was me doing my service um, in training and development. I started in audit research but then moved into um, the training office. And then from there it just ran with me and I ran with it and it's just been yeah, bringing in individuals to make a difference in the

Speaker A: space following the magic and the passion.

Speaker B: I guess. So yeah. And the madness.

Speaker A: And the madness. The craziness. Let's talk about the program. So for those listening who don't know what is the YES program?

Speaker B: So the YES program is a public sector funded initiative, uh program funded by Wembley, the NetBanks of the world, other corporates, your shop rights. Big corporates that have actually understood that there's a gap. Right?

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: And they want to fund that gap to give unemployed um, youth an opportunity to get work experience. Because you can't get a job without experience and you can't get experience without a job.

Speaker A: I love, sorry. I love that. I don't love it but I love that. That's silly. Like we, you see it in some JDs, um, basic requirements metric but with

Speaker B: experience, 10 years work experience. Right.

Speaker A: I'm like did someone not think about the Mathia? Anyway, okay.

Speaker B: I guess it became a copy and paste from one job, uh, spec and be like listen. But yeah, um, youth can't get experience without a job and you know, jobs require experience. So the YES program is designed to then fill that gap. Yes, uh, 12 month program to then give them quality work experience so that they're more employable after the program. And some of them come in and they just blow us away and then you know, you want to absorb them but the intention of it is really to just give them another step and I'm privileged to then be part of, you know, that step for somebody else's next chapter. I think that that's why it brings me back to just um, young talent. Right. I'm a specialist recruiting young talent. The Fact that, you know, when they come in, um, I get to set the tone for them. I get to then help them get to the next step. Whether it's them being an exec, them being a future leader, but the young talent that comes in are our future leaders, right?

Speaker A: Yes, of course.

Speaker B: Um, and the program is this thing to develop whatever leader in whatever shape or form. Yeah.

Speaker A: Amazing initiative. And to your point, Whamley started partaking in the YES Program as well the last year and it, it worked amazing. And we're going to continue with it. It's, it's, it's really such a cool. To your point, bridging that gap. Um, tell me you now see and interact with. I want to call them these kids. Right. Let's call them these young talented individuals. What, what do, what do you observe from them from a, from a confidence perspective, from a readiness for the world of work perspective? Because you've seen hundreds of.

Speaker B: And thousands and thousands. But young talent is different. So you have your niche programs where, you know, they want accounting students or candid attorneys or then even interns for assessment teams and whatnot. Those are particular Personas. Either you have your honors and masters, but then what I've noticed with the YES program and the youth there, they're just hungry for opportunities.

Speaker A: Sure.

Speaker B: They want to be seen, they want to work, they want to come to the environment to then see how they can make a difference.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: So they're just really crying out for an opportunity to then do something. They're not asking for handouts. They're just asking to like, okay, tag me in. Let me see how I can add value. Let me see what I can learn from you. And also sometimes they want to then push their own agenda and like, listen, this how it should be done. The latest AI or what I picked up on this book or on Internet on TikTok, this is how things. But they're coming in because they're hungry to then get an opportunity.

Speaker A: You and I have a mutual friend, Marco, the Gen Z guy. Right. He was actually the previous guest. Um, he's got a very specific narrative and opinion about Gen Z. Do you share his narrative and thoughts or what is your observation of that generation because you touched now both on guys. I'm just really hungry for an opportunity. But also they do have opinions and, and how their perception of how things should be true.

Speaker B: A combination of sharing what Marco does, um, speak about. Um, so there is a perception of those that have access to information. They want to get into your website and figure out what you have to offer for me what is my care look like? You know, those ones are those that have already know what they want to become. Either a chartered accountant, an engineer. They're just looking for a place on where they can apply their skills. But you also have a Gen Z that doesn't necessarily have access to information or these other opportunities. They just want to work.

Speaker A: Sure.

Speaker B: They just want to plug into the economy. They just want to make a difference. They've studied for three years or four years and they're like, they have this qualification and then like, okay, what now? You're right. Um, so there's different, I don't know, facets variables of Gen Z's, different personality, person Personas, personalities of Gen Z's. And Marco does touch on, you know, a good group of it. But there's another group that just like listen, I just want to work. Sure. I've studied all these years. What do I do with this? Give me an opportunity, give me an opportunity. And I think in Youth Month and we reflect back to the youth of 1976, they were also fighting for an opportunity. So the current cry now is just give me an opportunity. You know, um, history. All of us have fought probably in our different streams in our professions have brought systems in place to make things happen. But the youth is just like, can I come in?

Speaker A: Sure.

Speaker B: I'm knocking at your door, can you come in? It speaks to just how many applications, different opportunities actually get. Grad programs, bursary opportunities. You get 20, 30,000 applications for one one vacancy. For uh, the year's program for NEPANC, we had 650 opportunities received over 30, 35,000 applications.

Speaker A: That is insane. Let's talk about those that then didn't get in. Where in the process did they fall off or what went wrong? Or is it just simply a supply and demand issue?

Speaker B: It's really a supply and demand because as much as the unemployment rate is extremely high in South Africa, I don't think as corporates we have enough opportunities for these, um, to give the unemployed youth, to give unemployed people in general. Unless you go into the informal market and then you're an entrepreneur, you're starting a business. But even that takes time, you know, for you to bring in resource because you driving profits and whatnot.

Speaker A: So, and sorry, so many or little few people actually get that right. So yes, you've got the energy, you attempt something, you start your own thing. But then again it needs so much m. I mean building Whamley, you need so much resources and support and input and guidance and mentorship and so like well done for that energy. But geez, that, that shouldn't be the first step for these youth, um, individuals. Corporate South Africa, I think, and government, um, needs to step up.

Speaker B: Yeah, we, we really have a lot to do. And I guess being in a uh, corporate like NIPAC and Wembley, you have the privilege to then create opportunities for others to come into your space. Right. Because you've built it. It's your passion, it's your blood, sweat and tears and the hours. And you're allowing people to come into that space. And for big corporates it's allowing individuals to add value. Right. Um, but yeah, it's, it, we can talk for hours and it's just multifold. And how the youth is crying for opportunities. Um, opportunities are far and few.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: And I mean if you're thinking of somebody that stays in, I don't know, Coffee Bay in Eastern Cape, right. They thinking, oh, Jobic is where I can get opportunities and whatnot. They're not thinking of the immediate surroundings.

Speaker A: Right.

Speaker B: They want to come into the big city because they realize the immediate surroundings doesn't have, have opportunities. So their supply is large. However, the opportunities are very few. And where they mean either you go to Cape Town, Durban or Johannesburg, that's where most of the Buzz Africa, corporate South Africa is sitting. But we tend to miss those that are in the rurals or in um, I guess areas that are not so developed.

Speaker A: And when you then meet these individuals that aren't successful, what do they then do? Apart from keep on trying?

Speaker B: It's exactly that.

Speaker A: Unfortunately.

Speaker B: They need to keep on trying.

Speaker A: Keep on trying.

Speaker B: Or then, you know, maybe some corporate like Net bank then partners with somebody that's running an NGO in that rural space and then they can then bring them through through the yes program or then we're doing a project that will be either short term or five years and whatnot. But I think as corporate South Africa, we're giving a lot of fish, but we're not teaching people how to fish adequately. School didn't teach us how to, to fish. Um, it taught us, okay, here's the fish. Um, but how do you keep or grow that fish? Yeah, how do you share that fish is something that is not taught.

Speaker A: Yeah. In your application process, what steps? How do they get in? I mean, and who works through 30,000 applicants? Right? That's crazy.

Speaker B: I mean you've got systems and software that help you then swift through the applications, but it is really a CV that's submitted and then it gets screened. It is Then background checks that happen. It's assessments that happen. It's in interviews, whether it's live or it's recorded, there's coffee chats. So the process of the. Yes. Um, recruitment for Netbank is then candidate submits application. That application is reviewed, you go for screening, um, background checks to just verify qualification. You do assessments. After assessments, you then move into interviews. Line managers are given a set of candidates that have been shortlisted for them to pick from. And from there we then have further coffee chats with them if the line manager decides and then we make an offer.

Speaker A: Sure. And how long does that process take for you to fill 650 vacancies?

Speaker B: So the project ran for three months.

Speaker A: Three months.

Speaker B: It ran rigorous, rigorously for three months. Tight ship for three months. But I didn't do alone. I had an amazing team, uh, that helped just get, um, us through to the 650.

Speaker A: And now they're in, they've got 12 months in various departments. Okay. And they're just learning and giving back.

Speaker B: They're learning, they're adding value. They are running with the opportunity. Um, they sitting with line managers, they're attending meetings, they are running projects, they are coding. And funny enough, I was having a conversation with one of my colleagues that was telling me a success story about, you know, how with their yes learner, they just added them to different meetings. They were like, listen, you're coming with me, Listen, you're going to do it. And now this person is now the recruitment coordinator for a grad program.

Speaker A: Wow. Come on.

Speaker B: Yeah, you know, love it. Um, and they've made a difference, uh, in that space. They have now been given an opportunity to, I guess make a difference in their own life. They didn't say no. They said yes to the opportunity, they said yes to themselves. They kept putting themselves out there and you get a lot of success, success stories. Um, but it's really by chance if all honesty, um, submit over tens of thousand of applications in a year, um, maybe the stats are wrong, but, you know, a person would re. Religiously apply and sometimes it's by luck, sometimes it's by your network, sometimes it's just by your qualification, sometimes it's just your timing. Um, either God or a higher power that you believe in is just like, this is your opportunity. Point is, there are few opportunities yet the supply is so large.

Speaker A: So large. You know, I, I often hear how people specifically about the youth lab them, right? So you're the entitled bunch or you want handouts or you're not prepared to work or you have this idea that, you know, to build a career you don't have to work hard. But in our conversation, I'm hearing something else. You know, I, I'm hearing a, uh, group of individuals who deeply want to work, who deeply want to give back, who wants to be absorbed. I think you said your absorption is 40%.

Speaker B: About 46.

Speaker A: 46, right. So half of your 650 get to stay almost and, and build out their career. And, and that is what our country needs. Our country needs the supply and demand to match and an audience that is willing to work hard.

Speaker B: But I mean they are opinionated. Um, they do have a voice. Um, I guess either when we're raising them, we're telling them, you listen, you're the best things since sliced bread. And they've ran with it. Right.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Um, so what, what I always try to do is just bridge that gap. Right. Because um, whether you're a baby boomer, whatever generation coming in, all of us have an idea of corporate. We just need to find ways on how we can work.

Speaker A: Work together.

Speaker B: Together.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: Your opinion is valid. How you see me is valid. Um, how I'm showing up and this and that, all of those are valid. But how do we then kind of close out the noise a little bit without invalidating it to actually then partner together? Because you've got knowledge as a baby boomer that I need as a Gen Z. Well, I'm not a gen. You get what I'm trying to say. That all of us can sit around the table, hear each other out and learn from each other without the arrogance, without the cockiness, without um, the condescending tone. Just giving someone an opportunity to hear them out and also being receptive as the person on the receiving end to be like, okay, you're coming in with your fresh ideas, whether I've tried it before and it didn't work. But hear me out and let's see how we can then m. Solve it. Don't diminish my idea or don't put me down because then you were rejected by your exec a few years ago. Let's see how we can then solve the problem. And that's what we're not doing as I guess the different generations that come into the works.

Speaker A: And I was just about to ask you. So on the other side of the the yes Program learner sits an older line manager. What is specifically in your organization the energy been from this audience to provide the training and the coaching and the mentorship and to invite them to the meetings. Because often Having an intern can be irritating or frustrating or like, you're in my way, you know, um, but, but for this thing to work, we need that knowledge to transfer. We need that, that compassion and care to want to give back and to teach and train and help. Have you seen from that perspective, success?

Speaker B: We have, and we've partnered with line managers that actually want to give back.

Speaker A: Okay.

Speaker B: Right. It's not a, uh, it's not forced. It's not forced, but it's not a perfect world. We do have some malaria mentions that are still struggling, but those that have put their hand up to say, listen, I would like to then give back or teach a person or bringing something to. Because you're literally coming into somebody's space and telling them, listen, this is what I'm doing. This is how you can add or what do you think of whatnot? So it's line managers also allowing themselves to be a little bit vulnerable, but as well to teach. Um, but it's usually the line managers that put their hand up to say, listen, I want to go through and teach that then part of the success stories. Because then they realize that, okay, they've given this person a chance. They understand that this person, um, just needs to be heard and guided in the space. So yeah, it's, it works because of line managers that actually want to invest in the young talent.

Speaker A: What are you measured on, on from a metrics perspective running this program, it's,

Speaker B: it's a, it's a combination. It's the success story on absorption.

Speaker A: Okay.

Speaker B: And then absorption is seen as a bit of a pinch of salt because it's not the intention of the program. Um, it's a combination of, I guess what happens post program even if you're not absorbed. It's how many are we bringing in and what is the impact, um, are we addressing then the scarce critical skills by bringing the resource? Um, so it's a hard one because it's just multifold because one cluster is like, okay, get me yes, youth that, um, will solve my I T capabilities or critical think one is looking for a quant or somebody's looking for accounting. So it really varies.

Speaker A: Varies.

Speaker B: Um, but I'll ask my line manager at my media review.

Speaker A: Might be a good idea for you to know this one off by heart.

Speaker B: I'll work on it. I'll work on, on it.

Speaker A: And um, if you consider the program in five years time from now, because I think you said you're in year two.

Speaker B: Um, yeah, I'm year two. As the head of the. Yes, Program. But the yes program has been running since 2019.

Speaker A: Okay, but you've been running it for two years. Okay, what, what would you like it to be in five years time?

Speaker B: Sure. A well run oil machine where more youth are given opportunity which is not feasible given the, the amount of investment that it requires from a people perspective and I guess financially. But in five years I would like to see, even if it's just not at netbank, more corporates then putting up

Speaker A: their hand to say we'll, we'll partake.

Speaker B: We'll partake even if you take two. Yes. Youth. Um, because that too means that you're making a difference in somebody else's life. That too means an additional stipend or salary in that household. Right?

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: Um, as much as they're going to wake up early in the morning to get to work, but that's still them plugging into the economy, them realizing that I can make something out of my life.

Speaker A: Sure.

Speaker B: I can do something beyond just having to study, sit at home, apply for opportunities. I can actually go into the world and make a difference.

Speaker A: You know, that's one of the things that both in South Africa is our challenge, but also our enormous opportunity and responsibility is imagine this. I go and I study. I deeply want to work and I can't get an opportunity like that. That just, that doesn't sound right. So I agree with you. In five years time, many, many more organizations must open up their doors and give an opportunity for someone who's put in the hard years, um, whether they paid for it themselves or someone helped them through varsity or studies, and then give them the opportunity. We have, um, uh, a recently launched talent marketplace called Whamley Jobs. So our stakeholder for the longest time has been clients, corporates, hr. And now we've opened up the, the door to candidates. Right. Um, completely different audience, different desires, needs. So if a candidate is listening to you now, what advice would you give to that candidate, given your experience with this year's program?

Speaker B: That's a hard one. That's a hard one because the system is hard.

Speaker A: Well, maybe that's the first good thing to hear is it's not going to be easy.

Speaker B: Easy, yeah. The system is hard. Um, there isn't a formula to this life thing. There isn't a formula to applying. You just need to not give up.

Speaker A: Sure.

Speaker B: Um, the right opportunity will come. And I know sometimes people have been sitting unemployed for like three, four, five years and it's hard to hear that. Don't give up when. Okay, but I don't have bread, you know, uh, my family is looking at me like, oh, there you are with your, um, psychology qualification. Uh, you went and studied at whatever university and you came back with the qualification. But what is that qualification doing for you, you know, versus maybe a cousin of yours that is actually in hard labor, for instance.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Um, laying bricks or whatever else. Or then as a freelancer, uh, or then as an influencer on Tick Tock. Um, but it's hard. So the advice that I could somewhat give is that don't give up. The system is hard, but somebody will give you an opportunity. I'm here because somebody, you know, was like, listen, I'll give you a shot. Yeah, um, with my qualifications, with my experience, they're like, listen, I feel that you could add value to my space. Let's give it a shot. So, yeah, my advice would be don't give up. It's hard.

Speaker A: But um, yeah, yeah, I love that. I, I always say somewhere a door will open, but it's up to you to walk through it.

Speaker B: It.

Speaker A: You need to walk through that door, believe in yourself. Um, and, and then just approach that season as a sponge. Taking as much as you can learn, grow, add value, make mistakes. Just be present, show up.

Speaker B: And showing up is important, right?

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: Show up for yourself, show up for the space. Um, but showing up really then puts you out there, really then shows those that are around you that okay, this person is actually here and as president wants to be here. You know, unlike just, okay, coming in at whatever time you think is appropriate and everything else in between.

Speaker A: Last question.

Speaker B: Okay.

Speaker A: If you had to give advice to an HR practitioner listening.

Speaker B: Mhm.

Speaker A: Who does not yet have this program, why must they do it? Hell. And if you, if you're asking me difficult questions, if, if you get to this part of the episode and you're not yet inspired to do it. Let's hear from the sejo.

Speaker B: Why must they do this to an HR protection practitioner? To an HR practitioner that, um, is not inspired or doesn't know why they should do it? It's the right thing to do. Um, giving people an opportunity to, I guess, learn to get that work experience that you're looking for in that other job description that you or that job ad that you posted. Um, but it's the right thing to do. It's. It's the right thing to do for our country. It's the right thing to do for society. Um, yeah. And people just need a chance, you know, just give them a chance.

Speaker A: People need a chance. It's been incredible speaking with you. Thank you so much for your wisdom and your insight. Even though you are, um, running a, an incredibly important program, I can see your passion for it and, and that you deeply, deeply care and that is amazing to see.

Speaker B: Thank you so much for having me. I do what I love. I think that's what keeps me going.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: Um, no day is the same. No individual is the same. Yeah. But the individuals that then I have get an opportunity to have a conversation with and you realize that what this opportunity means for them, um, what it means for their family or what just it means in general for me, that's like, okay, at the end of the day when I'm sitting and with my thoughts, eventually it's like, oh, actually I actually did something positive.

Speaker A: I love that. Thank you so much.

Speaker B: Thank you so much for having me.