Youth unemployment isn’t a statistic \u2014 it’s your cousin who graduated two years ago and is still job-hunting, your friend who took an unpaid internship just to get a foot in the door. Now, an automotive group is claiming it has an answer. DigiCars Group<\/strong> has launched a Cadet Programme promising young people a real entry point into the automotive industry \u2014 no experience required.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The DigiCars Cadet Programme is designed to give young candidates hands-on, practical experience<\/strong> in the automotive sector \u2014 an industry that has historically been difficult to break into without connections or credentials. The programme targets those who have the hunger but lack the opportunity.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n DigiCars Group operates multiple automotive brands, including Digi Cars, Olgar’s Auto, Chery Sandton, Chery Northcliff, and Omoda Sandton<\/strong>, all under the iCar Technologies umbrella. The group is headquartered in Sandton and delivers new and certified pre-owned vehicles across South Africa.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Asheen Dayal<\/strong>, Chief Marketing Officer of DigiCars Group, framed the initiative in sweeping terms. “This isn’t just about moving cars, it’s about moving South Africa forward,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n He went further: “For many South Africans, a first car represents freedom \u2014 whether it’s getting to work, college, or taking a family member to a clinic. DigiCars Group is committed to putting that pride and independence within reach.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n It sounds good. But young, skeptical readers will rightly ask: how many cadets are actually being hired? What are the wages? What happens after the programme ends?<\/strong> Those details remain publicly unavailable \u2014 and that silence matters.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Corporate programmes targeting youth unemployment are not new, and many have delivered more press releases than paychecks. But the automotive sector does represent genuine, scalable employment<\/strong> \u2014 from sales and logistics to tech and customer service.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n If DigiCars follows through on the promise, a structured cadet pathway could be a legitimate model worth replicating. If it doesn’t, it joins a long list of initiatives that used young people’s desperation as a branding opportunity.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The DigiCars Cadet Programme has potential \u2014 real potential. The automotive industry needs young blood, and young Africans need industries willing to take a chance on them. But potential means nothing without accountability.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Watch this space. And if you apply \u2014 ask the hard questions before you sign anything.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Car Company Says It’s Solving Youth Unemployment. Here’s What We Know. Youth unemployment isn’t a statistic \u2014 it’s your cousin who graduated two years ago and is still job-hunting, your friend who took an unpaid internship just to get a foot in the door. Now, an automotive group is claiming it has an answer. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3882,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","category-trending"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat the Programme Actually Offers<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
The Company Line \u2014 And Why You Should Read Between It<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Why This Still Matters for Young Africans<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n