JET plays a crucial role in preparing youth for management and executive positions.

The SOWETO uprising, which occurred on June 16, 1976, remains a significant event in South African history. It marked a pivotal moment in the struggle against apartheid, with thousands of students protesting against injustice and inequality in the apartheid education system.

Today, the main challenge facing youth is the lack of job opportunities, leading to a high youth unemployment rate of 45.5%.

Another issue facing South African youth is the struggle to attain top management positions in various organisations and ministerial positions in government. They believe that by occupying these roles, they can influence change and introduce new ideas to help the organisations or government operations grow.

Over the past 4 years, JET has established the Young and Upcoming Managers (YUM) initiative, which aims to provide opportunities for youth staff members to gain experience in management and leadership positions. Every year, young staff members not older than 35 are allowed to apply for YUM positions. The Joint Management Committee (JMC) then selects one applicant to serve in that year's YUM.

The selected individual receives a 12-month appointment to participate in the YUM initiative, where they will receive mentorship and coaching. At the end of the term, the YUM member is required to write a report explaining the experience gained from the program.

Young people cannot occupy management positions without the necessary experience, so this initiative is a valuable practice that many organisations can adopt. It prepares young individuals in the workforce for top management roles and instils organisational management culture while they are in lower positions in the workplace.