BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI – For many young people, the journey from the classroom to the workplace can be challenging, with a qualification often only opening the door to a competitive job market. Khuluma Eswatini has responded to this challenge by bringing together more than 300 young people to strengthen practical skills, understand employer expectations and prepare for opportunities in a changing labour market.
The Khuluma Eswatini Business Seminar was held at the Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU), Faculty of Education, on October 2, 2026, bringing together young people, entrepreneurs, business leaders, students and other stakeholders for discussions on employment, entrepreneurship and business development.
The seminar focused on helping young people understand the realities of the job market and the skills required to complement their academic qualifications.
Khuluma Eswatini Public Relations Officer Nondumiso Maseko said young people needed to be more deliberate in how they approached the search for employment, particularly when preparing job applications.
“We encourage young people to understand how the job market currently stands and to acquire the skills that will strengthen their applications as they prepare to enter the workplace,” Maseko said.
She said interpersonal and customer-care skills were essential because many jobs required employees to deal directly with customers, colleagues and members of the public.
“Many jobs require people to interact directly with others, so young people need interpersonal and customer-care skills and must know how to work effectively with different people,” she said.
Maseko also urged young people to embrace emerging technologies while using them responsibly, particularly artificial intelligence (AI).
“We live in the era of artificial intelligence, so responsible use of AI is also a key skill that young people need to understand and know how to use,” she said.
Programme Director at the Eswatini National Youth Council (ENYC), Dumsani Simelane, said young people needed a clear picture of the economic environment in which they would build their careers.
“It is important for young people to have a clear vision as they navigate the changing economic landscape,” Simelane said.
He said ENYC’s participation was intended to expose young people to emerging opportunities while helping them understand the challenges that could affect their progress.
“We want to give young people a true picture of their future by showing them where opportunities are emerging, identifying the challenges they face and encouraging discussions on practical solutions,” he said.
The event also featured exhibition stalls where businesses and organisations showcased their products and services, creating a platform for networking between participants and the business community.
The initiative was a collaboration between SANU, Khuluma Eswatini, ENYC and ENACTUS, with the stakeholders joining hands to strengthen the link between education, youth development and the labour market.
The discussions highlighted the growing importance of combining academic qualifications with interpersonal skills, customer care, adaptability and responsible use of technology when seeking employment.
The focus on practical workplace skills reflected the changing expectations facing young people as they enter an increasingly competitive labour market.
