Home: Agricultural Economics: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PROGRAMME
About our programme for young professionals
by Dr. Dirk Troskie
The objective of the Programme for Young Professional Persons (YPP) is the empowerment of individuals from previously disadvantaged communities through the gaining of experience and formal academic training. At the end of the programme, successful participants will:
- have gained valuable research experience,
- be in possession of a master’s degree in agriculture,
- be empowered to follow a meaningful career in agriculture,
- have contributed to the knowledge pool of agriculture.
The main institutional participants of the YPP programme are the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch.
The participating individuals are involved in a structured programme that extends over two years, which commences annually in the second half of January. During the programme, the individuals are not appointed to the establishment, but are remunerated on a contract basis.
The programme consists of two phases, of which the first involves structured in-service training for a period of six months. The second phase involves a project in which the individual concerned undertakes independent research. Since the second phase takes place in cooperation with the relevant department at the University of Stellenbosch, candidates that fulfil all the relevant requirements will obtain a master’s degree upon completion thereof.
To be considered for the YPP programme, a candidate must be:
- from a previously disadvantaged group,
- intent on following a career in agriculture,
- a South African citizen,
- in possession of, or in the process of completing, a relevant honours degree, and
- able to complete the programme.
Although not a prerequisite, a special effort is made to involve women in the programme.
