The Youth Employment Service (YES) programme has placed well over 120,000 young South Africans into paid work experience since its 2018 launch, and it remains a genuinely useful route for SMEs to grow their team while earning real B-BBEE benefit.
How SMEs can participate
If your business lacks the capacity to host a YES candidate directly, you can still participate by sponsoring the salary for a placement at another small or medium business acting as host. This still counts toward your B-BBEE participation while extending your network’s positive impact.
Getting real value as a host
The relationship needs to genuinely benefit both sides. Host candidates in areas where they can add real value to your core business, rather than treating the placement as a box-ticking exercise. Keep progress reports current, and be ready to advise the sponsoring employer on the candidate’s development and prospects for absorption into permanent employment.
Budget for absorption from the outset
The programme runs for a year, and hosts are expected to absorb a percentage of candidates, typically in the 2.5% to 5% range, to move up a compliance level. If a candidate genuinely stands out, budget in advance to bring them onto your permanent payroll rather than deciding reactively at the end of the placement. If payroll administration for an absorbed candidate feels daunting, an Enterprise and Supplier Development programme, if your business qualifies, can help manage that transition.
Why this matters beyond compliance
Youth unemployment remains one of South Africa’s deepest structural challenges, and the strain it places on both young jobseekers and the businesses trying to grow sustainably affects the whole economy. A YES placement done well gives your business a genuine, low-risk way to test new talent while contributing meaningfully to that broader problem.
Frequently asked questions
Can a small business participate in YES without hosting a candidate directly?
Yes. A business without the capacity to host directly can sponsor a candidate’s salary at another small or medium business acting as the host.
What percentage of YES candidates does a business need to absorb into permanent employment?
Typically between 2.5% and 5%, depending on the compliance level a business is targeting.
Is the YES programme still active in 2026?
Yes. It continues to operate with active corporate and government participation, with more than 120,000 work placements created since its 2018 launch.
A genuine two-way opportunity
Done properly, hosting a YES candidate isn’t just a compliance box to tick, it’s a low-cost way to test and grow new talent while contributing to a national employment challenge that ultimately affects every business’s customer base.
Further reading: Enterprise and Supplier Development: What It Looks Like When Done Right | Department of Trade, Industry and Competition for official B-BBEE codes and requirements
Originally published in September 2019. Updated September 2026 to confirm the YES programme is still active with over 120,000 placements to date. The underlying guidance for SME hosts remains durable.
