Top exporters grow staff by 13%

The finalists in the Western
Cape Exporter of the Year
award have collectively
increased their full-time
staff by 13% over the past
two years with a similar
increase in part-time jobs.
Not an easy
accomplishment in an
economy that is shedding
jobs, said Viola Manuel,
executive director of
the Cape Chamber of
Commerce and Industry,
which has run the
competition for the past 22
years.
“What is even more
encouraging is that the
winner of the Exporter of
the Year award, Dormac,
has over 100 learnership
positions within its
organisation – exactly what
our region and the country
is looking for if we are to
grow our skills base.”
Manuel said the Cape
Chamber of Commerce
continued to see skills
development as a key
challenge.
“While our
unemployment figures
remain alarming, we have
a concomitant challenge of
more than half a million
vacant positions due to a
lack of appropriate skills.
“The conundrum is not
unique to this country,
but the time has come for
business to sit up and take
notice.
Calling on Western
Cape businesses to
involve themselves
with the activities and
portfolio committees of
the Chamber, Manuel said
this was the first step to
addressing some of the
major challenges facing
business today.