BMW SA expands youth employment drive through YES programme

BMW Group South Africa is expanding its investment in youth employment, sponsoring unemployed graduates through a new partnership with the Youth Employment Service (YES) and Absa.

The initiative provides qualifying graduates with 12 months of full-time, paid work experience, while Absa provides historical student debt relief and the Mastercard Foundation supports salary top-ups.

BMW has been involved in the YES programme since 2022 and has provided more than 4,300 work experiences through the initiative. Its 2026 YES cohort comprises 1,046 young South Africans.

Of the latest cohort, 102 participants are placed internally at BMW South Africa and BMW Financial Services South Africa, while a further 944 are placed with external host employers through implementation partners.

BMW’s direct sponsorship of 172 graduates forms part of a broader effort to help young South Africans transition from tertiary education into the workplace.

“Our investment in youth employment goes beyond immediate talent needs,” said Valencia Modiba, head of transformation and corporate investment at BMW Group South Africa.

“By partnering with YES and sponsoring 172 graduates through the programme, we are contributing to a generation of South Africans who are work-ready, digitally capable and equipped to help propel our economy forward.”

The YES programme combines paid work experience with digital skills development, mentorship and financial support. The latest BMW-backed initiative is expected to contribute to the broader programme’s economic impact, with at least R48m projected to enter the economy through salaries.

YES said it has created more than 233,267 12-month, full-time work opportunities for young South Africans since its inception. Across its programmes, 47% of alumni have subsequently secured employment, while 17% have moved into entrepreneurial activities.

The partnership also aims to address one of the less visible barriers facing graduates: outstanding student debt. Absa said it has provided about R60m in historical student debt relief to more than 800 graduates through its corporate social investment Trust programme.