Samsung: 'Upskilling' needed to empower Africans with skills to succeed

Pitso Kekana, head of public affairs and corporate citizenship for Samsung Africa RHQ, said on Monday that Africa's high unemployment rate could be lessened if more workers were trained in relevant skills and job growth would catch up to a growing working-age population.

A World Bank report found that South Africa's working-age population in the past two decades has jumped by 11 million, while the total number of jobs created has risen by only 2.8 million since 2000.

Entrepreneurship is huge in Africa, accounting for 90 percent of the continent's private businesses and over 50 percent of employment and gross domestic product. When these businesses succeed, jobs are created. They also often lead to other businesses, nurturing the continent's financial growth.

Upskilling -- or making certain the continent's disadvantaged have the same access to education, skills and employment opportunities -- will poise Africa for greater financial and societal growth, giving would-be entrepreneurs and others the skills they need to succeed, Samsung Electronics said.