Our First Graduate Trainees Got Employed Within Three Months-PSPF

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By Ntokozo Nkambule

Graduates that were part of the first Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF) Graduate Trainee Programme were all employed three months after the programme.

The Fund clarified that the graduates were not necessarily employed by them but by other organizations in the country.

This assertion was made by the Fund’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Masotja Vilakati during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and key partners which includes PSPF.

UNDP is facilitating the Eswatini Youth Empowerment Programme (EYEP), a government-endorsed programme. The programme has two pillars – Graduate Placement and Artisanal Skills Training.

PSPF has demonstrated its support for the programme by contributing a whopping E600 000.

Vilakati in his address revealed that as a Fund they are already running an in-house graduate programme, which has been successful thus far.

He, however, disclosed that they appreciate the fact that UNDP is now facilitating a more collaborative project of which they will be a part.

“As PSPF we strongly believe in graduate trainee programmes. We can confirm that the first group of graduates that we took and mentored for a year were all employed three months after completing the programme.”

The CEO said what they noted is that a graduate trainee programme is very important as it provides credibility and thus leads to an increase in graduates’ chances of being employed.

Vilakati further implored other organizations in the country to ensure that they join hands with UNDP and be part of the programme.

He also advised host organizations not to shy away from giving graduates work and responsibilities.

“As much as we are in full support of the UNDP graduate programme, we strongly urge host organizations to give graduate trainees work and responsibilities in the course of the training period. We have noted in certain instances that organizations say they are offering a graduate trainee programme, but end up sending graduates to only make tea or run other errands that do not benefit the graduates professionally,” he concluded.

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