The Youth Employment Service programme is the single fastest and most impactful mechanism available to South African employers to improve their B-BBEE level. ArkKonsult manages the entire implementation — from DTIC registration to youth placement to verification portfolio — exclusively for our subscription members.
The Youth Employment Service (YES) is a South African government initiative launched in partnership with business, designed to address youth unemployment by creating quality work experiences for young South Africans. It was established in 2018 and is administered through the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC).
For employers, YES is not primarily a social responsibility exercise. It is one of the most powerful B-BBEE lever mechanisms available under the Codes of Good Practice. An employer who meets the programme requirements and achieves a target absorption rate can improve their B-BBEE contributor level by up to two levels — the equivalent of years of scorecard management compressed into a single programme cycle.
"In over 40 years of advising South African employers on B-BBEE strategy, the YES programme stands out as the most direct, most immediate, and most measurable mechanism available for genuine level improvement. The problem is that most employers either do not know it exists, or they are too intimidated by the administration to implement it. ArkKonsult removes both obstacles."
— Dr Ivor Blumenthal
The programme requires employers to take on young unemployed South Africans between the ages of 18 and 35 in paid work experiences of at least 12 months duration. The number of YES participants required is calculated as a percentage of your existing workforce, and the B-BBEE benefit is determined by the absorption rate — the percentage of YES participants who are offered permanent employment at the end of their placement.
Who qualifies? Any employer with a valid B-BBEE verification certificate, a minimum Level 5 B-BBEE rating, and a compliant Employment Equity plan is eligible to participate. Employers below Level 5 or with non-compliant EE plans may still participate but will not receive the level improvement benefit.
A qualifying employer who meets the YES target and achieves the required absorption rate can improve their B-BBEE contributor level by up to two levels. This is not a marginal gain — it is the difference between winning and losing government and corporate procurement contracts.
Ownership restructuring takes years and carries legal complexity. Skills development builds slowly over multiple cycles. YES delivers measurable level improvement within a single 12-month programme cycle — making it the most time-efficient B-BBEE intervention available to South African employers.
YES is recognised as a priority element under the generic Codes of Good Practice. This means non-compliance carries a one-level discount on your overall scorecard — but compliance delivers a level bonus. The asymmetry makes YES one of the highest-leverage decisions your business can make.
The reason most employers do not participate in YES is not cost. It is administrative complexity. ArkKonsult eliminates that barrier entirely for our Strategist and Boardroom subscription members.
ArkKonsult assesses your current B-BBEE scorecard, Employment Equity compliance, and workforce profile to confirm your eligibility and calculate the precise number of YES participants required to achieve your target level improvement.
We manage your registration on the YES4Youth platform with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. This is a prerequisite for YES participation and must be completed correctly to ensure your B-BBEE benefit is recognised at verification.
ArkKonsult coordinates the placement of qualifying YES participants into your business through our professional associates network. Participants are matched to roles appropriate to their profile and your operational requirements.
Throughout the 12-month programme cycle, ArkKonsult monitors compliance, manages documentation, and ensures all reporting obligations to the DTIC are met. Your internal HR team is supported but not burdened.
At the end of the programme cycle, ArkKonsult prepares your complete YES Portfolio of Evidence for B-BBEE verification. This includes all DTIC confirmation documents, employment contracts, payroll records, and absorption evidence required by your accredited verification agency.
Dr Blumenthal, please add any additional implementation steps specific to how ArkKonsult runs the YES programme for clients. This step card can be removed or updated once you have provided the full implementation description.
The ArkKonsult YES Internship Programme is a managed service available exclusively to Strategist and Boardroom subscription members.
YES Programme implementation is also available as a standalone engagement for non-subscription clients. Contact ArkKonsult to discuss.
YES Programme implementation draws on ArkKonsult's curated network of specialist practitioners in B-BBEE verification, human resources, skills development, and legal compliance — contracted exclusively to serve our subscription members. Dr Blumenthal leads the engagement, but our clients are never served in isolation.
Contact ArkKonsult for a confidential assessment of your YES programme eligibility and the B-BBEE level improvement available to your business.
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