Gauteng Health Dept launches campaign to expose youth to public health sector careers

JOHANNESBURG - Amid a national youth unemployment crisis, with rates climbing above 40% and a critical shortage of healthcare workers, the Gauteng Department of Health has launched a campaign to expose young people to careers in the public health sector.

As part of Youth Month commemorations, the department is rolling out the Youth Health Plug Career Expo, an initiative aimed at inspiring and empowering youth to consider careers in healthcare.

The week-long expo kicks off on Monday and will run until Friday.

It will be hosted across various Gauteng College of Nursing campuses and public hospitals in all five provincial districts.

The Youth Health Plug campaign is part of broader efforts to address workforce gaps in the public health sector, while also offering sustainable employment pathways to young South Africans.

"We are going to be exposing various areas, whether it be nursing, medicine, radiography, pharmacy, therapeutic services, social work, audiology, all sorts of career options," said spokesperson Motalatale Modiba.

"We believe that this will give young people a chance to interact with professionals in these particular areas, but also to expose them to how we offer bursaries, internships and also some of the opportunities for employment within the sector."