The City of Tshwane has put the 2025 Youth Month theme of ‘embracing the power of youth to drive socioeconomic transformation’ into action.

“We are pleased to confirm the placement of the 52 new young trainee building inspectors to the Department of Economic Development and Spatial Planning’s (DEDSP’s) building control division as part of a work-based learning programme,” says Economic Development and Spatial Planning MMC Councillor Sarah Mabotsa.

The university graduates, who hold qualifications in the Built Environment, have been placed in Tshwane’s Building Control Offices as part of a 12-month-long, work-based learning programme between the City of Tshwane and tertiary education institution, the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

“We are excited to welcome the trainee building inspectors into the department,” Mabotsa says.

These placements allow the graduates to obtain valuable hands-on work experience in the built environment sector.

“These young professionals will assist our teams [in conducting] building inspections to make sure that structures comply with building codes and regulations,” she points out, adding that this work is critical to protecting the public and ensuring that buildings are safe for occupation.

As UJ’s programme coordinator Sethu Loyilane explains, “the Building Inspector Training Programme is a workplace-based learning component that provides unemployed students with critical hands-on experience, enhancing their employment prospects while ensuring municipalities have access to skilled inspectors”.

Additionally, to bridge the gap between training and employment, the workplace-based learning component provides students with essential skills, thereby helping to make graduates more employable and ensuring that they are ready to contribute to the sector.

The City of Tshwane is facing several challenges in the built environment space, including illegal land invasions, derelict or unsafe buildings and unauthorised extensions and construction.

The workplace-based learning programme stems from the construction industry’s need to professionalise and empower young building inspectors to improve the quality of inspections.

The Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority has developed the qualification linked to this workplace-based learning initiative, which has been formally assessed by the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions.

“This programme to support municipalities will help ensure that all developments and buildings comply with national building regulations and standards, [aiding] economic development and sustainable development planning,” says Mabotsa, enthusing that “it is a win-win for government and for young students”.

Loyilane says that the key benefits for UJ’s students are that students get to work under experienced inspectors and can apply their classroom knowledge to real inspection situations.

Further, they are exposed to municipal processes, compliance enforcement and industry regulations, enhancing job readiness as both municipalities and private firms prefer candidates with practical field experience.

“Over and above helping young people get work-based training, this initiative aligns with the City of Tshwane’s Economic Revitalisation Strategy which was developed by the DEDSP and adopted by Council in April 2025,” says Mabotsa.

Youth unemployment in South Africa exceeds 62%. “This means that nearly two out of every three young people who are looking for work cannot find employment,” explains Mabotsa.

“We must do everything we can to grow the economy and to empower our youth with the skills to become employable or to start businesses of their own.”

The Economic Revitalisation Strategy that the multiparty city government has adopted is a roadmap to increase job creation and economic growth in the capital.

The department aims to add 80 000 new jobs and achieve a 3.9% economic growth rate by 2029 by supporting the growth of ten priority economic sectors.

“We welcome this partnership with UJ and will do our utmost to enable further opportunities to support growth, skills development and job creation within our priority economic sectors,” concludes Mabotsa.