EThekwini Maritime Cluster (EMC) in partnership with the Durban University of Technology (DUT) launched a Maritime Graduate Work Readiness program in 2022/2023 facilitated by WoMaritime Experts/Global Maritime Youth. The duration of the Work Readiness Program was a weeklong (14 November – 18 November).
The Marine Studies Graduate Work Readiness Program, designed by the EMC under its Training and Skills Development program, intends to expose graduates to work experience in the maritime industry. The Maritime Studies Work Readiness Program seeks to facilitate the transition of graduates / final year students into the industry to equip them with the much-needed confidence to thrive within organisations during their employment. This is another way that the EMC seek to close the alarming unemployment crisis faced by the youth of South Africa.
For the first time, EMC took the initiative to support DUT’s Maritime Studies Unit by identifying 25 final-year students and graduates to partake in the week-long work readiness programme. The work readiness programme is part of the broad graduate placement programme and will be focusing on unemployed maritime graduates and seafarer placement.
During the course of the program EMC in partnership with the Transnet National Port Authority (TNAP had the honour of hosting the MEC of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), Mr. Siboniso Duma, during a Port tour with the EMC Work Readiness Programme Facilitated by WoMaritime/Global Maritime Youth.
The MEC encouraged students to grab the bull by its horns saying, “Our education has not allowed the majority of the youth to flourish. We want you, students, to one day change the spectrum of our economy. The people who stand a chance at influencing the economy are the captains of industries. It is those who have the power to dictate what is happening.”
“We want to encourage, capacitate, and equip you to be able to change the state of our economy.” Said, MEC Duma.
The 25 DUT Maritime studies graduates/students are in preparation for the EMC Graduate Placement Programme set for implementation in 2023. As part of the work, readiness program is providing exposure to the field of maritime which was achieved by the last site visit at the Sandock Austral Shipyard
EMC wishes to continue with the established partnerships for further enhancement of the growth within the maritime industry and singling out the challenges faced by the maritme industry.
