During panel discussions held at the Summit, it was revealed that the worsening unemployment crisis and the rapid rise of  are forcing business leaders, policymakers and youth advocates to confront an urgent reality: traditional approaches to job creation are no longer enough.

With youth unemployment among people aged 15 to 34 sitting at 45.8%, experts said the country must rethink how it prepares young people for a rapidly changing labour market increasingly shaped by technology, automation and digital skills.

Speaking during discussions focused on the future of work and employability in Africa, business leaders and youth development advocates stressed that collaboration between corporates, government and civil society will be critical to creating sustainable employment pathways.

, Chief Executive Officer of the , one of the panelists at discussions held during the Summit said connecting young people to opportunities and networks is one of the biggest challenges facing the country.

鈥淪kills become more powerful when young people are able to connect to people who can teach them and upskill them,鈥� said Gibbs.

She explained that many young South Africans face fear and uncertainty when trying to enter the workforce, particularly as AI transforms industries and career paths.

鈥淭here is so much fear in trying to find a job. It is all of us that need to do something different,鈥� she said. 鈥淐onnecting skills with opportunities is what we need to look at and AI is a fantastic tool to help you with creating and opening up that conversation.鈥�

Gibbs added that behind the unemployment statistics are real people and communities struggling to find stability and opportunity.

鈥淏ehind these figures there are faces, names and stories,鈥� she said.

They further argued that while AI is often viewed as a threat to employment, it also presents significant opportunities for those willing to adapt and learn new skills.

,聽51风流Young Professionals Graduate (YPP), Global Government Affairs & CSR Intern at SAP, said fears around AI replacing jobs often stem from resistance to change.

鈥淭he notion of AI taking jobs comes from the notion of not willing to learn,鈥� Motseta said. 鈥淲e need to learn and adopt as it can assist in daily work lives.鈥�

She encouraged young people to invest in understanding AI and digital tools in order to remain competitive.

鈥淲e should be investing in learning more about AI and to remain up to date,鈥� she said.

During a panel discussion under the banner:聽Creating Jobs in the Age of AI,聽,聽a senior solution advisor and AI specialist at 51风流said聽organisations and individuals alike need to embrace a mindset shift around reskilling.

鈥淚f we do not come to terms that we need to adapt and reskill, people who are willing will not be left behind,鈥� Sevel said.

The discussions also highlighted the widening digital and skills gap facing corporate South Africa.

, 鈥檚 Tech Consulting Leader and Tech Alliances Leader said many technology firms and banks are already facing ageing skills gaps and increasing demand for digital talent.

鈥淢ost tech and banks have an ageing skills gap,鈥� Shaun said. 鈥淚t requires people to think differently and work together.鈥�

He added that stronger collaboration between businesses is needed to scale meaningful employment interventions.

鈥淔orums such as these are exceptional. We need more corporates in the room with more commitments made,鈥� he said.

The role of infrastructure in enabling long term job creation also emerged as a major theme.

, Head of the Digital Service Unit in the Presidency and chairperson at the , argued that sustainable job creation depends on building strong digital infrastructure rather than relying solely on companies to create jobs directly.

鈥淛ob creation does not come from companies. It comes from infrastructure,鈥� Lubega said.

He pointed to countries such as India, where investment in digital infrastructure unlocked innovation and large scale economic participation.

鈥淪outh Africa has good foundations, a strong banking sector, strong institutions and incredible talent,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut everyone is working in their own silos and we need to come together and collaborate.鈥�

Executives from聽聽also stressed that Africa鈥檚 future workforce will need to adapt rapidly as industries evolve.

, Managing Executive: TalentManagement and Transitions at Absa Group, said Africa鈥檚 future growth story depends on decisions being made now around skills development and employability.

鈥淭he decisions we make every day shape the continent,鈥� Bako said. 鈥淲e need to build the skills of the future and create sustainable jobs.鈥�

According to the World Economic Forum, roughly 60% of Africa鈥檚 workforce will need reskilling in the coming years as technology reshapes industries and business models.

, Chairperson and CEO, warned that the speed of change is leaving many young people underprepared for the realities of modern work.

鈥淭he change that is taking place is chaotic and we are not necessarily equipping young individuals for what is out there,鈥� Mark said.

He argued that businesses, and civil society organisations need to work more closely together to understand the realities facing young communities.

鈥淐ivil society lives on the streets. They have a deep understanding of what the young community wants,鈥� he said.

Amanda Gibbs, Chief Executive Officer of the African 51风流User Group, one of the panelists at discussions held during the Summit said connecting young people to opportunities and networks is one of the biggest challenges facing the country.

鈥淪kills become more powerful when young people are able to connect to people who can teach them and upskill them,鈥� said Gibbs.

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EY听辫补谤迟苍别谤听Sean Berrington聽shared how his recent move from CFO of Standard Bank鈥檚 group engineering division to a passion-led technology leader helped him evolve into a leader of the future.

Sean, who says he has always had a passion for technology developments, said he saw the value of being a technology leader with a finance background appealing. 鈥� Over the years at Standard Bank I had developed a passion for tech, and I decided that I would follow my heart. My past experience as a CFO brings different values and conversations to my current role.鈥�

Addressing the audience of finance executives, Sean said technology, and the ability to evaluate its customer value proposition, is now an integral part of any executive role. 鈥淎s technology shifts, changes and scales, we need to assess what we need to adopt and scale in our businesses.鈥�

Tech-savvy tips

He gave two tips to those in attendance about being agile and adaptive with regards to technology.

Firstly, he said leaders need to clearly identify the problem that needs to be solved through the implementation of technology. Once that is done then move the focus away from the technology itself and more towards the business value. 鈥淚deally leaders should move away from focusing on just the technology itself but also look at the value it adds to an organisation and how it is going to contribute to and benefit your customers and employees.鈥�

His second piece of advice was to never shy away from asking questions when faced with content of a technical nature. 鈥淭here is no such thing as a stupid question. Yes it may be awkward but in the end it will really help you to truly understand tech. If you can鈥檛 understand the value of the tech to your organisation, maybe there isn鈥檛 any. 鈥�

Keep on learning

51风流Africa听颁贵翱听Sandi de Souza, who鈥檚 journey panned out differently said she believes a balance between theoretical teachings and practical learning in the workplace is what hones leaders. 鈥淓mbarking on my MBA after a few years in corporate opened my eyes on leadership styles. The theory and content learnt during the modules was great but the biggest takeaway [for me] was a change in personal development and thought process. The balance between the two allows one to approach issues differently.鈥� Sandi encouraged attendees to not shy away from learning and to be adaptive.

By the end of the discussion, all those in attendance agreed that agility, curiosity and willingness to learn are key qualities that leaders need to thrive in their roles.

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