Widespread unemployment is currently hampering South Africas progress as a country, with an unemployment rate of almost 24% in the formal sector. Youth and women have been particularly affected, with 2.8 million unemployed youth between the ages of 18 and 35, and 73% unemployment amongst African women between 22 and 30, according to Economics: Global SA Perspectives.
In recognition of the need to improve these glaring statistics, and in support of Womens Day this Thursday, 1time Airline will be embarking on an initiative in August called Wonder-Women in Aviation.
This initiative will involve 30 female students from Sizwe Secondary School in Elandsfontein, receiving first-hand exposure of 1times operations by primarily shadowing the airlines female employees in their daily work routine.
The students, who range from grades 10 to 12, will be afforded the opportunity to witness how numerous females manage to build notable careers in aviation, the corporate world, and in technical positions.
Students will discover the wonder of taking to the skies, as they will accompany 1time cabin crew on their flights to 1time destinations including Cape Town and Durban.
Furthermore, they will find out more about the intricacies of the corporate world as they will spend the day shadowing women who work in executive and manager positions in various departments at the airlines busy head office in Isando, Johannesburg.
Some students will shadow various women, such as Lorato Moroeng and Tumi Hlokwa, who work as craft technicians specialising in avionics for 1times maintenance company, Jetworx.
1time CEO Blacky Komani says that initiatives such Wonder-Women in Aviation are crucial in furthering the empowerment of South African women.
1time recognises that the current statistics relating to females and youth employment in South Africa requires urgent attention in the pursuit of furthering personal and economic development amongst these two groups.
We are delighted to have initiated this project and trust that the young women are as excited as our 1time and Jetworx ladies. Through providing these young women with a practical education of the working world, their eyes will be opened to the job opportunities that await them after school, and we are confident that they will be motivated to work hard and capitalise on these prospects.
