BMW Group South Africa Signs Up For The YES 4 Youth Initiative

BMW Group South Africa announces its collaboration with the national Youth Employment Services (YES) programme, responding to the youth unemployment crisis in South Africa.

YES, a South African not-for-profit company (NPC), born out of the CEO Initiative, is a joint national initiative between business, government and labour that aims to address the youth unemployment crisis in South Africa by providing 12-month quality work experiences to unemployed youth.

It is estimated that more than seven million young people under the age of 35 in South Africa are unemployed or are discouraged from seeking work. The YES programme is a collaborative effort to address the scourge of youth unemployment in South Africa, addressing those between the ages of 18 and 34 who are South African citizens, notwithstanding their educational nor professional backgrounds. A national programme, it benefits both the companies that subscribe to it, as well as the country’s economic base by creating social impact through youth job creation.

BMW Group South Africa on Friday, 9 December 2022 became a YES agreement signatory by signing the CEO pledge.

BMW Group South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa CEO, Peter van Binsbergen, and BMW Group Financial Services South Africa CEO, Stefan Schuett, committed to a total of 510 YES programme jobs across the nine provinces.

The YES candidates will be placed within the BMW Group retailer network, in SMMEs, and in the ICT, education, and health sectors.

“We build more than just Cars”

Speaking at the signing of the YES CEO pledge at the BMW Group South Africa headquarters in Midrand, Johannesburg, Peter van Binsbergen, CEO of BMW Group South Africa said, “The scourge of youth unemployment is one of South Africa’s biggest challenges. In the automotive industry in South Africa, and as the industry lead for transformation under the auspices of the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM), we have a clear transformation strategy.

“With targets for localisation, our Automotive Industry Transformation Fund (AITF), various Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) funds and clear employment targets for black and female South Africans, we aim to create a virtuous circle of employment and seeding new entrepreneurs in our industry.

“The challenge is that this takes time.  The YES programme is instantaneous and tackles the age-old problem of one not finding a job without experience, and without a job, one cannot gain experience.  The importance of getting a pay cheque and having a year of work experience at a reputable company, cannot be underestimated in terms of what it does for one’s CV and self-esteem.

“With our YES implementation partner Afrika Tikkun we have taken the first step in onboarding over 500 youth into the programme at BMW, and I am pushing that we get to over a thousand!”

Commenting on the importance of this step to the BMW Group, van Binsbergen said: “We feel a great sense of pride that we are contributing towards alleviating the key problem of our generation in South Africa.” And to other companies contemplating on embarking on the YES programme journey, he had this to say, “Don’t underestimate the energy of youth in your company, say yes to youth!’

Hope and inspiration

Stefan Schuett CEO of BMW Financial Services South Africa: “Youth are a flame, and skilled youth are an enabler for society.  Being in the country for little over a year, and knowing South Africa’s tragic history, I am surprised at how deep the problem of unemployment and in particular youth unemployment still runs.”

Signing the CEO pledge on 9 December was no coincidence for Schuett, as it is the day marked annually by BMW for the famous shareholders’ meeting in 1959 that secured the company’s independence.  “First opportunities are critical, and by signing up for the YES programme we hope to give more young South Africans a start and a first step towards their independence,” said Schuett.

Julia Modise, BMW Group South Africa’s Human Resources Director: “It is truly an honour and a privilege to be part of this important milestone at BMW Group South Africa. Being amongst young people is infectious. As the Group HR Director, I know that the YES for youth programme provides a perfect talent pipeline for succession. That we sign this commitment shows our dedication to alleviating one of the biggest social crises facing this country. This is a true example of how we at BMW Group South Africa build more than just cars; we are building a future for otherwise-unemployable youth.”

David Ouma, one of the first BMW YES youth inductees of the programme and present at the CEO pledge signing ceremony had this to say: “All of us YES youth come from different backgrounds, but we have one thing in common: We have been searching, some for many years, for an opportunity to showcase our abilities and earn an income.  One cannot describe what this opportunity means for us. Thank you BMW and the YES for Youth programme for your kindness. We hope to be an inspiration for those who come afterwards.”

Ravi Naidoo, CEO of YES, said that “The YES programme is the most important endowment for the country. Forty percent of YES alumni are employed following the completion of their YES programme. These are people working in high-impact, future-facing sectors that are preparing them for fast-paced environments and, most importantly, for a better chance at remaining employed and growing their careers.

“YES youth in the programme tend to become future professionals and entrepreneurs, and can provide a talent pipeline for the ESD and AITF funds. We are thrilled by BMW’s vision of ‘we build more than just cars’.  We thank the two BMW Group CEOs here today.  The support for this programme from the highest levels of the BMW Group’s operations in South Africa is testament to the success of the YES programme.”