Cape Town: The City will observe the Workers’ Day 2026. Along with the celebration, it will highlight its successful partnership with the National Business Initiative (NBI) to expand opportunities for unemployed youth through the Installation, Repair and Maintenance (IRM) Programme.
Currently, this exciting Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) initiative is equipping 250 youth to be more marketable and work-ready by focusing on technical skills development and practical work experience.
The IRM programme, which is implemented by the City’s Economic Growth Directorate and Urban Waste Management’s EPWP department, aims to equip young people with accredited technical skills while providing meaningful workplace experience across multiple City departments.
Following a successful pilot phase in the 2023-24 financial year, the City of Cape Town saw 31 learners trained and placed in general repairer roles. The City with NBI upscaled the initiative to benefit up to 250 participants over a 12-month period.
Encouragingly, 18 learners from the pilot phase have already secured permanent employment both within the City of Cape Town and in the private sector by demonstrating the programme’s potential to create pathways into sustainable work.
The City is further looking to continue this programme in future. Through this partnership:
- Participants are selected via NBI and the City’s Jobseekers Database.
- The NBI provides accredited training, toolkits and protective clothing.
- The City facilitates job placements and practical experience.
- Learners gain exposure to real-world technical work environments across departments including Water and Sanitation, Recreation and Parks, Urban Mobility, and Human Settlements.
The programme draws participants from previously disadvantaged communities, with a strong representation of women. Beneficiaries include young people with a range of technical backgrounds, from those who have completed handyman skills programmes to those with partially or fully completed TVET qualifications between NQF Levels-2 and 4.
Participants are placed in technical support roles that are aligned to their qualifications, where they assist artisans with general repair and maintenance work such as plumbing, carpentry and electrical tasks.
In addition to technical training, participants receive work readiness support and entrepreneurship development, by equipping them with the skills to pursue both employment and self-employment opportunities and Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) training.
The NBI further supports participants in accessing placements within the IRM sector and assists those who wish to establish their own businesses. It also contributes to enterprise development in township economies.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Urban Waste Management – Alderman Grant Twigg stated that this programme is about more than just short-term work opportunities. It is about building practical skills, opening pathways into the job market, and supporting enterprise development within township economies.
By combining accredited training with real workplace experience, they are giving young people a meaningful opportunity to participate in it and contribute towards the economy.
Considering this, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth – Alderman James Vos stated that the Economic Growth Directorate is proud to be involved in this partnership where unemployed youth will receive technical skills training to improve their employability and support enterprise development in communities where it’s needed the most.
The fact that they are expanding this opportunity from 31 youth to 250 highlights the need for these programmes and the hunger in communities for job training and associated opportunities. They are looking forward to being part of this journey with the learners, which will see them entering the workforce and contributing to the stimulation of local economies.