In celebration of Youth Month and ahead of National Youth Day, the Forest Sector Charter Council (FSCC) and Forestry South Africa (FSA) joined forces to host the first-ever FSCC Youth Webinar, themed “Raise Your Hand to Be Part of the Discussion”. The event brought together public and private sector voices to showcase the exciting and diverse innovative pathways to resolve youth unemployment within South Africa’s forestry sector – and to offer practical guidance to students and graduates looking to launch meaningful careers in this vital industry.

Held in the lead-up to June 16, the webinar marked a bold step forward in the FSCC’s evolving role from transformation auditor to active facilitator, with youth development now a key area of focus.

“We’ve seen how impactful collaborative initiatives like She Is Forestry SA have been in advancing gender equality. Now it’s time to apply that same collective energy to youth empowerment,” said FSCC Executive Director Khosi Mavimbela.

Designed to bridge the gap between graduation and employment, the webinar featured insights from industry leaders, graduate recruitment experts, and young professionals. Sessions focused on building soft skills, identifying real-world skills gaps, and navigating the transition from student to industry contributor.

Forestry Graduate Employment Programme

Norman Dlamini, FSA’s Director of Business Development, delivered the keynote address and presented the Forestry Graduate Employment Programme (F-GEP) – a sector-wide initiative tackling youth unemployment.

Designed as a one-year enriched internship, F-GEP is aimed at improving the employability of unemployed forestry graduates while nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset.

“It seeks to address critical skills shortages in the forestry sector, F-GEP prioritises graduates who show interest in pursuing scarce and in-demand skillsets,” says Dlamini. Through a structured rotation model, participants are placed with industry experts across different areas of forestry operations, including:

• Forest fire management
• Forest engineering (wheels and mechanisation)
• Forestry chemicals
• Pests and disease control
• Human resources within forestry environments

The programme’s dual focus on skills development and enterprise creation makes it a unique intervention. “F-GEP goes beyond traditional internships,” explained Dlamini adding that while internships expose students and graduates to a workplace, they do not necessarily make them more employable. “We assess individual graduates’ technical and interpersonal skills, close the gaps, and prepare them to be employable, entrepreneurial, and industry-ready.”

Stories that inspire

Among the most memorable speakers were Sabelo Sithole, Managing Director of New Age Forest Solutions, and Eutricia Nkuna, FSCC Research Assistant. Both shared personal stories of perseverance, growth, and initiative – resonating deeply with students navigating similar journeys.

Both shared their own journeys, with Eutricia outlining the key attributes that enabled her to progress from an unemployed forestry graduate to a research assistant and Sabelo reiterating the importance of proactively seeking out available opportunities.

“The conversations were honest, relevant and inspiring,” said Dr Blessing Karumbidza, Coordinator of the Higher Certificate in Forestry at Tshwane University of Technology. “Eutricia’s story, in particular, will serve as a blueprint for others. I hope this webinar becomes a regular feature – quarterly, even – because the doors it opened must stay open.”

In a unique show of encouragement, FSA awarded R1,000 Cape Union Mart vouchers to the students who posed the most insightful questions during each of the six Q&A sessions.

“In a small sector like ours, putting your hand up and speaking up can open doors,” said Dr Katy Johnson, FSA Communication Manager and MC for the webinar. “We wanted to reward that confidence and help students realise that their voices matter.”

With strong engagement, compelling storytelling, and a renewed commitment to youth development, the FSCC Youth Webinar is set to become a cornerstone initiative in the sector’s transformation and enterprise development agenda.