“To unlock youth potential, we must bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace reality,” says Melanie Jacobs, global process owner for talent, performance and learning at Sappi. “Without curriculum reform and meaningful industry collaboration, we risk leaving a generation ill-equipped for sustainable livelihoods.”
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Beyond academic shortcomings, young South Africans face a growing web of social challenges, as youth unemployment has surged to an alarming 62,4% among those aged 15 to 24.
Too many school leavers are unprepared for the realities of the workplace. A 2023 report from South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training revealed persistent gaps between the skills taught and those demanded by employers. The lack of vocational exposure in schools and rapid technological shifts make this worse.
Research from the SA Journal of Industrial Psychology echoed this concern, highlighting how low self-perceived employability and limited experiential learning leave many students feeling undervalued.
In rural and township communities, these barriers deepen, due to isolation and digital exclusion. While many youths turn to informal work or side hustles to make ends meet, or try their hand at an entrepreneurial venture, without the necessary technical or business acumen, there is very little sustainability.
The emotional toll of persistent unemployment is seen in the rise of substance abuse, youth crime, and teenage pregnancy.
Sappi has placed youth empowerment at the core of its sustainability strategy, adopting a long-term community-focused approach to skills development and upliftment through its registered skills centres at Saiccor Mill in KwaZulu-Natal and Ngodwana Mill in Mpumalanga.
Since its launch in 2017, the Saiccor Skills Centre has produced 713 alumni, with Ngodwana contributing a growing number of graduates through non-accredited programmes such as basic handyman training in electrical work, welding, carpentry, home maintenance, and sewing – as well as with accredited programmes in trades such as welding and boiler-making. All participants train under experienced artisans, gaining discipline, work ethic and entrepreneurial insight.
Some learners transition into short-term employment, joining the annual “shut” maintenance teams at Sappi’s mills. Here they gain hands-on experience as general workers recruited from the Integrated Community Forum database. In 2025 alone, Saiccor employed close to 700 individuals, awarding close to R6 million in work.
Similarly, the Ngodwana mill recruited over 400 general and semi-skilled workers. Learners who meet the criteria for apprenticeship are shortlisted for interviews, while others are supported in upskilling to reach artisan level. A separate stream offers an 18-month New Venture Creation opportunity at NQF Level Two, guiding candidates in launching their own businesses, reinforcing a culture of entrepreneurship alongside technical training.
Sappi’s Forestry Skills Centre in Richmond has trained more than 400 learners and facilitated 8 700 hours of development. Many of these trainees are active participants in Sappi’s Khulisa programme, which integrates small-scale growers into the broader forestry value chain. Sappi has also partnered with Agricolleges International, where learners get the opportunity to complete foundational modules online before progressing to hands-on training at the Forestry Skills Centre.
One of the most compelling illustrations of integrated youth development is the Ngodwana Aquaponics programme, launched in partnership with Standard Bank’s Youth Development venture. Situated in the Elands Valley of Mpumalanga, the initiative blends aquaculture, agriculture, and enterprise training into a holistic model that creates employment and strengthens local food security.
The current participants are 16 young men and women between the ages of 20 and 40. They are all engaged in producing Tilapia fish, fresh herbs, vegetables, and a variety of artisanal food products. These are sold at a community-run farm stall, serving as both a retail hub and a platform for grassroots entrepreneurship.
Beyond aquaculture and artisan trades, Sappi is also investing in the country’s energy and engineering future. Through the Installation, Repair and Maintenance (IRM) programme at Umfolozi TVET College, 30 learners receive stipends and intensive training in solar, electrical, and mechanical disciplines.
For Melanie Jacobs and the Sappi team, the mission is clear. “While industry is filling the gaps where it can, collective action is needed to drive real change within the education system to ensure our youth are truly employable,” she urges. Her call is a reminder that corporations can catalyse change – but systemic reform requires collective will.
