Enterprise applications company EOH’s Job Creation Initiative aims to promote internship and training programmes in partnership with its customers, business partners and govern- ment to create jobs, says EOH CEO Asher Bohbot.

“There are five-million unemployed people in South Africa and the youth comprises 75% of South Africa’s unem- ployed. “Job creation is primarily the responsi- bility of business,” he avers.

“Business in South Africa cannot pursue avenues of thinking similar to those of its counterparts in developed countries, where their responsibility is primarily towards the shareholders. “In South Africa, business must have a much broader role that must include the wellbeing of our society,” Bohbot says.

“The interesting thing is that this kind of thinking is not in conflict with share- holders’ interests. It would be more diffi- cult to run a successful business in a failing society,” he adds.

“We need to train our people, starting with school leavers and graduates through learnership and internship programmes. At EOH, we have 600 learners and interns who represent about 15% of our workforce.

“Theoretically, if every business in South Africa were to do the same, it would mean employment for hundreds of thousands of young South Africans. We believe that business needs to take up the role of further developing our youth. It is good for society and it is good for business. “This is our experience at EOH. We encourage business to do the same,” Bohbot explains.

The initiative aims to work with government to mobilise business to take advantage of government incentive schemes for job creation and to encourage business to invest more in South Africa, which will result in job creation.

“Government’s role is to create the envi- ronment and incentives for business to thrive in and create jobs. However, government cannot shoulder the burden alone and is definitely not able to employ more people; however, to its credit, it has already put schemes and incentives in place to encourage and develop business to employ more people,” he notes.

“We estimate that South Africa is outsourcing between 20 000 and 25 000 jobs to other countries. “Our objective for the next three years is to assist government in bringing back about 10 000 jobs. We also want to assist in creating internships for 20 000 graduates and learnerships for 30 000 matriculants. “EOH believes that South Africa is short of skills, rather than short of jobs. One set of skills equals one job,” says Bohbot.

Research shows that a youth without work experience has a slim chance of ever finding a job, while those with some work experience have nearly an 80% chance of remaining employed.

“Business has a huge responsibility to do much more – not only for our country but also for business,” he concludes.