A further example of the contribution the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) makes to government’s National Development Plan (NDP) was on show at 4 Artillery Regiment in Potchefstroom this week when close to 600 unemployed young men and women reported for the Youth Leadership Development Programme (YLDP).
The programme is run under the auspices of the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) under the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRRD) umbrella. It runs in two-year cycles, developing skills in unemployed young men and women from rural areas to implement in improving local economies where they live.
The YLDP “class of 2025” was welcomed by Deputy DLRRD Minister Chupu Mathabatha to the North West province base, which previously hosted Gauteng crime prevention/traffic wardens for a variation of basic military training (BMT). Mathabatha urged them to focus on studies relevant to the economy.
Those who will call 4 Artillery Regiment home for the foreseeable future were recruited nationally and are all in the 18 to 35 age group. Following the BMT they move on to other places of learning, including the NARYSEC College in the Free State province for tuition in specialist area, including animal husbandry and rural security.
While at 4 Artillery Regiment the class of 2025 will be introduced to the relevant government policies, programmes, legislation, career planning and leadership skills as it affects their future.
Other phases of the YLDP will see them exposed to sectoral skills via TVET (technical and vocational education and training), agricultural colleges and high learning institutions. On completion of their 24 month training, NARYSEC assists with work, either SMMEs (small and/or medium sized enterprises).
