About FirstRand’s FirstJob Partner Programme

About three years ago, FirstRand successfully launched the FirstJob Partner Programme initiative to the NGOs supported by the FirstRand Foundation and FirstRand Empowerment Foundation. This programme is intended to create meaningful work experiences for unemployed youth for 12 months.

The model is simple – FirstRand seconds unemployed youth as FirstRand employees into selected partners, paying the employees’ annual stipends and providing a limited amount towards specific training. In return, the partners host these interns by providing meaningful work experience and physical resources (e.g. computer, phone, workspace).

Cape Town Opera is very proud to host three interns from the FirstRand FirstJob Partner Programme and is exceptionally grateful to FirstRand for this initiative. 

An introduction to intern Jason Make:

Once a performer on stage and now working behind it, Jason Make is a finance intern at Cape Town Opera – the second time he’s worked for an opera company. “In Umculo, I was part of the chorus. Being at Cape Town Opera brings back memories, but now I’ve taken a different branch from where I was before,” the 24-year-old says. Jason is assisting in the finance department at Cape Town Opera; his background in finance, accounting, bookkeeping and taxation has prepared him for these duties. 

Jason’s switch from performance to finance was made within the spirit of the arts. “Being in the office is very insightful. You need to be financially literate, even as a singer,” he says. In his free time, Jason soaks in the wardrobe department, seeing how things are done and getting a feel for the space. “I’m coming in as a cat and going out as a lion,” he says.