AfDB awards SA $1m grant to boost green jobs

Recently, the African Development Bank (AfDB) awarded South Africa’s National Business Initiative (NBI) a $1m grant to establish a skills ecosystem that will provide the country’s young people with emerging job opportunities in the green economy.

Sustainable job creation

The funding will support the country’s Just Energy Transition Skilling for Employment Programme (JET SEP), led by the National Business Initiative in partnership with the management consultancy Boston Consulting Group.

The initiative coordinates private sector efforts to prepare the workforce for the energy transition, in tandem with the government’s JET Skilling Implementation Plan, focused on inclusive workforce development and sustainable job creation.

Specifically, the grant will finance the programme’s first phase, including feasibility studies for the design of skills development zones and capacity building within the public technical and vocational education and training system.

Skills development zones will anchor the delivery of inclusive skills and foster local economic growth during the country’s just-energy transition.

Launched in 2024 and endorsed by the JET Project Management Unit under the presidency of the Government of South Africa, JET SEP has garnered support from over 30 influential South African CEOs, public sector leaders, and civil society leaders in the past year.

Investing in energy

The grant builds on the African Development Bank's significant investment in South Africa’s energy sector. Since 2007, the bank has invested $3.4bn to support energy infrastructure, including renewable energy.

The current grant will support the government’s efforts to identify the skills needed for the sector, with a particular focus on renewable energy.

Shameela Soobramoney, CEO of the National Business Initiative, said: “This grant from the African Development Bank is a critical step toward turning vision into action, strengthening the national skills system, and ensuring that all South Africans are equipped to seize new opportunities in the green economy.

“We are proud to continue working alongside our partners and stakeholders to build an inclusive future-ready workforce and to stimulate local economies in a way that leaves no one behind.”

Issued on Bizcommunity | https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/afdb-awards-sa-1m-grant-to-boost-green-jobs-478769a