YES 4 Youth Employment Services Learnerships 2026: How the Programme Works and How Youth Can Benefit

The YES 4 Youth Employment Services Learnerships 2026 continue to play a critical role in addressing youth unemployment in South Africa by connecting young people with meaningful, structured work opportunities. Rather than operating as a traditional recruitment agency, the Youth Employment Service (YES) functions as a facilitation platform that enables businesses to create paid work experiences for unemployed youth through different participation models.

By focusing on workplace exposure, employability skills, and real economic participation, the YES initiative has become one of the most impactful public-private partnerships supporting youth inclusion in the labour market.

Understanding How YES Youth Placement Works

YES does not directly recruit or place youth in the same way as staffing agencies. Instead, businesses participate in the programme using one of two approved models, depending on their operational needs and capacity.

Hosting Youth Within the Business

Businesses that choose to host youth directly within their own organisations use their internal recruitment processes to identify suitable candidates. This model allows companies to integrate young people into their existing teams, systems, and culture, which has proven effective in supporting long-term employability and skills transfer.

YES strongly encourages the use of the zero-rated SAYouth platform, which allows young people to register, create profiles, and apply for opportunities without using mobile data. This platform also enables businesses to access a broader and more inclusive youth talent pool.

The YES Turnkey Solution

For organisations that prefer not to manage placements internally, the YES turnkey model offers an alternative approach. In this model, youth are recruited and employed by YES-approved host implementation partners rather than the sponsoring business itself.

These partners place youth within their organisational structures while still aligning the experience with YES standards and outcomes. This approach has expanded opportunities in growth sectors such as tourism, community services, and the green economy.

Organisational Performance and Measured Impact

Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, YES recorded its strongest performance to date. During this period, the programme facilitated 43,088 one-year job placements, representing a 16 percent increase compared to the previous financial year.

Since its launch in 2018, YES has enabled a total of 185,557 youth placements across South Africa. To date, 1,875 businesses have registered with the initiative, making YES one of the largest demand-side contributors to the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative.

Notably, YES has generated 68 percent of demand-side jobs under the initiative without relying on taxpayer funding. This success highlights the strength of the programme’s public-private partnership model, supported by B-BBEE incentives and active private sector participation.

Youth Unemployment in South Africa: The Bigger Picture

Despite these gains, youth unemployment remains one of South Africa’s most pressing socio-economic challenges. According to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for January to March 2025, unemployment among young people aged 15 to 34 increased to 46.1 percent, while the expanded unemployment rate reached 56.4 percent.

Over the past decade, economic growth has averaged around one percent per year, far below the estimated five percent needed to significantly reduce unemployment. Revised growth forecasts of 1.4 percent for 2025 and 1.6 percent for 2026 indicate that job creation will continue to lag behind demand.

In this context, structured youth employment initiatives remain essential for bridging the gap between education and sustainable work.

Why the YES Programme Matters

YES and similar initiatives play a vital role in introducing young people to the dignity, discipline, and security of work. By offering paid placements, workplace exposure, and employability skills, the programme helps participants build confidence, work readiness, and a track record that improves future job prospects.

The formal recognition of YES within the B-BBEE framework has encouraged sustained business participation. Since inception, 3,397 YES programmes have qualified for B-BBEE level-up benefits. At the same time, the programme has aligned itself with broader environmental, social, and governance commitments, making youth inclusion a measurable part of corporate impact.

Vision and Mission of YES

Vision

To transform companies, communities, and the lives of young people by connecting youth to economic opportunity and dignity, while building a future that works for all.

Mission

YES drives sustainable employability at scale by:

• Connecting youth with companies
• Transitioning young people into earning and sustainable futures
• Leveraging policy, incentives, and best practice to maximise business impact and performance

Through this approach, YES supports both youth development and responsible business growth.

How to Apply for YES 4 Youth Learnership Opportunities

Youth interested in participating in YES-supported learnerships and work opportunities must register through approved platforms used by participating businesses and implementation partners. Applications are typically linked to specific programmes rather than a single national intake, meaning opportunities open throughout the year depending on demand.

Applicants are advised to ensure their profiles, documentation, and contact details are accurate and up to date before applying.

Register to apply for YES 4 Youth Learnership opportunities through official YES-approved channels.

Conclusion

The YES 4 Youth Employment Services Learnerships 2026 represent more than temporary work placements. They form part of a long-term strategy to restore access to opportunity for young South Africans in an economy where formal employment remains limited.

By combining business incentives, structured workplace exposure, and youth-centred support, YES continues to demonstrate how collaboration between the public and private sectors can create measurable social and economic impact. For young people seeking a foothold in the world of work, the programme offers a meaningful starting point toward sustainable employability and economic inclusion.