1 800 bursaries boost for unemployed youth in NMB

In a massive boost for unemployed youth in Nelson Mandela Bay, the municipality announced yesterday that 1 800 bursaries are up for grabs for those interested in pursuing a career in the transport industry.

In partnership with the Transport Education and Training Authority (Teta), about R34-million has been set aside for the next two years as the city places transport at the centre of its economic growth strategies.

Mayor Athol Trollip said the beneficiaries of the bursaries would be qualifying and deserving youth from disadvantaged areas of the metro.

To qualify, they would have to pursue studies in aerospace, maritime travel, rail transport, road transport, taxi transport, freight handling, clearance and forwarding.

Interested candidates should apply to the municipality.

An agreement between the municipality and Teta – which will fund the R34-million in bursaries – will be signed on Thursday.

The news comes as the metro battles a 47% youth unemployment rate, according to the 2011 Census.

Trollip said that as the government was planning to spend billions of rands in the city, job opportunities in the transport sector would arise for residents.

These included projects planned for the oceans economy.

“At Coega, Transnet is spending billions of rands over the next 10 years,” he said.

“Those investments are going to translate into jobs, not only for the people who will get the bursaries. “If you get one [a bursary] and you graduate in that investment period, you can be sure to get a job in those fields.”

The metro’s roads and transport portfolio head, Rano Kayser, said Teta would fund each beneficiary for a two-year period to study in the transport sector.

“Even those who want to be artisans in those sectors are able to apply for the bursary and get the skills.”

He said the plan was to ensure young people in the Bay were qualified to apply for jobs if big investments by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Transnet and the maritime industry were announced.

“For instance, if a company decides to build luxury liners in PE, that would create jobs,” Kayser said.

“It creates a big opportunity for jobs . . . Let’s capacitate our youth so they can get those jobs.” Kayser and Trollip announced the bursaries in front of the City Hall yesterday at the launch of the Transport Month career expo week.

The city’s transport department has set up a week-long expo featuring a number of stakeholders, including the provincial Department of Roads and Public Works, Port Elizabeth College and Sanral, to showcase careers in the transport industry.

Trollip said while the city was working on improving transport plans, it was important to tell residents about opportunities in the industry and for the city to have a proper transport plan to lead people to opportunities.

The metro’s stagnant Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) needed to be implemented as soon as possible, he said.

“To reinforce our transport in the city, we want the IPTS buses to work. “We have paid for them, we want them on the road so that the public can use them,” Trollip said.

– Additional reporting by Rochelle de Kock