With the world of work continuously changing, civic education and soft skills are increasingly becoming important to ensure that young people are ready for the workplace and are engaged citizens.

A total of 225 students were awarded their Higher Health Civic and Soft Skills NQF Level 5 qualifications accredited by QCTO during a Youth Month celebration at Ekurhuleni East TVET College’s Kwa-Thema campus.

“This is no ordinary skills programme. It is the first of its kind in Africa – a visionary initiative, born from our country’s urgent need to equip all young people in education, in training and those not yet in either – with critical soft skills, workplace readiness, civic values and emotional intelligence,” Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane told those attending the event, which forms part of Youth Month celebrations.

The programme is implemented by the department’s agency, Higher Health, developed in partnership with UNESCO and is the only skills programme closely aligned with all the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).

“To date, this programme has already graduated over 5000 young people, and we aim to reach a further 250,000 in the next two years. This is how we build resilience, leadership and economic empowerment – one graduate at a time,” the Minister said.

Minister Nkabane reiterated that young people faced a daunting reality in the country, with youth unemployment one of the highest in the world. Black women and people in under-resourced communities carried the heaviest burden.

“But we are not without solutions. Research tells us that 85% of job success is attributed to soft skills – not just academic qualifications or technical ability, but the power to lead, communicate, collaborate and persevere. These are the skills for living and these are exactly the skills we are embedding across our institutions through this very programme.”

Led by Minister Nkabane, Higher Health CEO Prof. Ramneek Ahluwalia and National Skills Fund acting CEO Melissa Erra, the ceremony celebrated 108 graduates from Ekurhuleni East TVET College, 62 from Gauteng Community Education and Training colleges, 30 from Tshwane University of Technology and 25 from North-West University.

The ceremony was further honoured by the presence of Mr Walter Tebogo Letsie, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, and Member of Parliament Mr Sihle Lonzi.

A total of 76% of the graduates were women, which Minister Nkabane celebrated as a sign that “the future is female”.

Graduates received certificates and a copy of a book titled “Before Varsity. Minding the Gap: Transitions Towards a Skills Revolution in South African Colleges and Universities”, by Mukovhe Masutha and Muimeleli Mutangwa.

Nkabane highlighted Chapter 6 on soft skills as especially relevant to the programme’s vision.

“You are not just students. You are not just participants. You are pioneers. You are change makers,” she told the graduates.

Mental health was a recurring theme throughout the day. The Minister cited a World Health Organisation report indicating that one in four students in Post-School Education and Training (PSET) in South Africa suffered from mental health challenges.

She said mental health must be treated “not as a taboo, but as a public health imperative”.

Through its national network of counsellors and peer educators, Higher Health has reached over 421,000 young people via dialogues on gender-based violence (GBV) and provided 19,000 students with psychosocial support.

A peer education model now trains 10,000 students annually, many of whom are survivors of violence and leaders in their communities.

“The fight against GBV is not the responsibility of women alone. Men must be part of the solution,” Nkabane declared.

The CEO of Higher Health, Prof Ramneek Ahluwalia in his speech emphasised the crucial role of civic and soft skills in empowering South African youth.

Prof Ahluwalia further explained that these skills go beyond employability. They prepare young people to face real societal challenges like GBV, substance abuse, HIV, unplanned pregnancies, and mental health struggles. This programme is a powerful movement equipping youth with life skills such as financial literacy, digital skills, and climate resilience – empowering them to become agents of positive change in their communities and the nation.

The 722 students which attended, also witnessed a moving testimony from Acacia Sinuku, a Civil Engineering student from Ekurhuleni East TVET College whose life has been transformed through the Civic and Soft Skills Programme.

In her own words, she shared how she’s grown into a more confident, financially savvy, community-conscious young leader. Ms Sinuku reminded us why empowering youth with real-life skills is not just important, it’s essential.

She remarked that: “I now understand the importance of civic values. I’ve gained workplace readiness skills. I feel more confident speaking in front of others.”

Programmes like this aren’t just shaping futures – they’re changing lives of our youth.

Ekurhuleni energy MMC Mzayifani Ngwenya, who represented the metro’s Mayor, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, rooted the day’s proceedings in the legacy of the 1976 student uprising. He emphasised the importance of Ekurhuleni as both a symbolic and strategic location for youth empowerment.

“It is fitting we gather here in Kwa-Thema, in the heart of Ekurhuleni, where the blood, voices and dreams of many young warriors are engraved in our soil,” Ngwenya said.

He also issued a pointed reminder to national leaders that Ekurhuleni remained the only metro in South Africa without a university, despite being home to over three million residents. 

Ngwenya called on Nkabane to prioritise the long-promised University of Science and Innovation for the metro.

As the event drew to a close, Minister Nkabane joined fellow leaders in signing the Pledge Wall – a symbolic act affirming their commitment to holistic health, psychosocial well-being and youth development of our students.

Additionally, in a heartfelt moment of appreciation, Minister Nkabane also received a special award from Higher Health CEO, Professor Ramneek Ahluwalia, presented as a token of gratitude for her unwavering commitment and support towards the mission of Higher Health in advancing the health, psychosocial well-being, and holistic development of our students across Post-School Education and Training.