South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis demands decisive leadership, and Absa Group continues to take a bold, proactive stance in addressing the country’s most urgent socio- economic challenges. With the youth unemployment rate at a staggering 46.1% in Q2 2025 (StatsSA), the need for sustainable, future-focused interventions has never been greater.
As one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, Absa recognises that economic inclusion begins with skills development, and is therefore intensifying its investment in youth employability through its flagship digital offering, the Absa ReadytoWork App.
The Absa ReadytoWork App is a free digital platform that equips young people with essential work-readiness, money- management, entrepreneurial and interpersonal skills needed to confidently transition from education into employment. While unemployment statistics remain a national concern, Absa is not standing on the sidelines. Through deliberate and sustainedaction, Absa Group is building a skills pipeline for South Africa and Africa’s future workforce. Absa is using its scale, resources, and partnerships to reach young people where they are, and driving widespread adoption of a digital tool designed specifically to close the skills gap.
Since the launch of the Absa ReadytoWork App, over 533,000 young people across Absa’s markets have benefited and gained various employability skills. In Kenya, more than 75,400 young people have already been trained through the App and other communities across the continent seeking accessible digital pathways into employment have also been positively impacted by this tool and the programmes it offers.
This week, Absa is rolling out high-impact campus activations across universities and TVET colleges in South Africa. With thousands of students engaging across campuses, Absa is positioning the ReadytoWork App as an accessible and relevant tool for young people needing career direction, job search support, financial skills, mental wellbeing resources and other demand-driven skills. There are 16 free courses currently available on the App.
“Absa is actively empowering Africa’s youth by expanding access to work-readiness skills. The ReadytoWork App gives youth the confidence and practical tools they need to enter the job market or starting businesses. We know South Africa’s young people need empowerment and when enabled, they are capable of doing remarkable things. Absa remains committed to leading youth empowerment through education, entrepreneurship and employability because the future of our country and continent depends on it,” says Clement Motale, interim managing executive for corporate citizenship at Absa Group.
He adds that, “these campus activations and the socialisation of the ReadytoWork App are part of Absa’s broader vision to ensure the continent’s youth are equipped with knowledge, digital capabilities, and entrepreneurial skills required to build sustainable livelihoods and contribute to Africa’s sustainable economic resilience.”
The ReadytoWork App is more than a skills platform; it is Absa’s promise to empower every young person who signs up with the confidence to shape their own path and tell their ownstory. By bringing this programme directly to campuses and communities, Absa is creating spaces where talent is nurtured and dreams of our youth are supported. We believe the youth of this country and continent are not defined by the challenges they face, but by the future they are ready to build. Absa will continue to walk this path of opening doors and unlocking a generation that is ready to work, ready to grow, and ready to lead.
The Absa ReadytoWork App can be downloaded on all operating systemAppstores/galleries.
