WORK READINESS PROGRAMME (WRP)

PROJECT BACKGROUND

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

It is unfortunate that many graduates have di� culty in � nding employment after completing their studies. Although graduates typically have academic and technical skills, they often lack basic workplace skills, also referred to as employability skills. One of the greatest challenges for graduates is to acquire employability skills needed in the workplace while one of the greatest challenges facing organisations is the amount of personal development still required by graduates when they enter the job market.

The upshot is that employers tend to expect graduates to be ready to run with their new jobs while graduates expect employers to show them the ropes - this leads to an expectations gap which can clearly create work stress and tension. So ultimately, the need of building workplace readiness prior to seeking employment is of utmost importance. In the current economic climate, it is essential that graduates are prepared to enter the workplace, possessing key employability skills which will enable them to compete in today’s job market.

Our WRP was developed as a response to graduate unemployment. Our WRP aims to encourage employers who have entry level position to use the 4 months workplace coaching as a recruitment strategy for their entry level positions. What is crucial with the 4 months workplace coaching is the time an employee will form the psychological contract with the company, which is critical for the retention of key talent.

This project aims to mentor and coach unemployed graduates and apprentices on a work readiness programme in order to enhance employability through bridging the gap between studies and the work environment to be better prepared to secure employment. The project is targeting employers that have entry level positions/jobs to be � lled in future in order to encourage employers to use the project as a recruitment strategy.

Due to the demand-driven nature of the project, there are no speci� c � elds of study needed by the graduates. Host employers may indicate the quali� cations needed to support their business operations, i.e. Logistics, Freight, HR, Finance, Administration, Call Centre, etc. and we will ensure that we forward the suitable candidates for on the job coaching.

One of the key characteristics of this WRP is its link with industry demands for speci� c skills. Organisations spend a substantial amount of time on recruiting and selecting appropriate sta� . Graduates apply for positions with the expectation that they possess the skills required but are often unsuccessful because they lack the employable skills that employers are looking for. True costs of running a work readiness programme are much less than the recruitment cost of hiring a new entry level employee with no employable skills plus the opportunity cost of lost time on the job.

www.networxgroup.co.za www.businesstodaysa.co.za

• Fully funded project, Networx will pay the graduate stipend of R2,500 for 6 months,• Save on recruitment costs for entry-level positions,• Save on salary costs while the learner is on the programme,• Select prospective employees after the programme,• There is no obligation to employ the graduates at the end of the programme,• To be involved in the � agship pilot project• To have an opportunity to groom and coach talent for future use of the company or industry

The programme will run over a period of 6 months as follows;• A 2 months mentoring programme with the training provider• A 4 months coaching programme with the prospective host employer

TARGET GRADUATESThe project is targeting unemployed graduates from various � elds of studies with a recognised • National Certifi cate• National Diploma• Degree

BENEFITS FOR HOST EMPLOYERS

DURATION

PROGRAMME DELIVERYMentoring and coaching have always been an e� ective performance management tool that assists leaders to groom their sta� to achieve their maximum potential. The Networx WRP considers Coaching & Mentoring as a signi� cant talent development and knowledge retention tool. In an organisational sense, both mentoring and coaching have become very useful tools to describe actions relating to talent development; business growth and prosperity. Where a mentor assists the protégé in coping with the business environment, the coach assists the protégé in becoming better in his/her job - a mix of the two is required by organisations - this is a rationale followed by our WRP.

The 6 months WRP consists of classroom based (2 months structured mentoring) training as well as “on-the-job” (4 months practical skills based coaching) training. The programme provides mentoring on a number of modules (non-accredited and accredited) which will equip the graduates with the skills required in the workplace/business environment followed by a practical on the job coaching component at the workplace. Participant success is based on demonstrated competencies in class, performance on assessment tests as well as workplace performance. At the end of the 4 months on the job coaching, host employers can then make the decision to employ or not to employ the learners.

“The programme was eye opening. It allowed me to think about the work environment and to see myself there.” – Delegate Feedback

SIMULATION EXPERIENCE

The WRP allows graduates to manage a realistic business on a board-based simulation, in competition with other teams, to discover how everyday business decisions that are made, shape � nancial results.

Graduates gain an understanding of a real business and an appreciation of how their individual e� orts contribute towards the overall success of an organisation. Over numerous cycles, the graduates will learn from their previous mistakes and apply their new understanding immediately.

Graduates will make and implement decisions by assessing the results, in terms of allocation of limited resources, competitor activity and business performance, within a broader business context.

The following strategic and operational business decisions are made, including: • Which customer segments to target and why, • Determining desired product mix, • What the optimal procurement level should be, • How many employees should be hired/trained, • What margin they need to achieve in order to cover costs.

Key Learnings that are discovered during the simulation: • Experiencing and understanding the interdependence of the sales department, production and procurement. • Recognising trade-o� s, whilst making decisions around marketing, penetration, pricing, sales mix and

calculating the e� ects on margins.• Comprehending why it is important to focus time and e� ort on product mix in proportion to gross margin, and

not just ease of sale.• Evaluating customer service and its impact on pro� tability.• Managing Cash Flow and Working Capital, and seeing its impact on the business as well as the importance of

accurate forecasting.

“The simulation was valuable. Having to make decisions which encouraged team work, decision making and communication.”- Sheilah

“The theoretical knowledge which was coupled with the practical activity with the board game ensures that you actually learn and remember, as opposed to reading and forgetting “– Thando

Work Readiness Programme Mentoring and Coaching – Blending the Two Models

ENQUIRYUrsula Dlamini: 011 476 4151 / 083 287 5804 ursula@networxgroup.co.zaAngie Lithebe: 011 873 8245 / 081 865 6970 angie@btsimulations.comBonginkosi Hlongwane: 011 431 1520 / 078 383 9869 bonginkosi@networxgroup.co.za Matthew Ash: 011 873 8245 / 084 226 2803 matthew@btsimulations.comNomcebo Dube: 011 431 1520 / 079 392 4358 nomcebo@networxgroup.co.za