NielsenIQ South Africa
Future Rise Programme
Overview
NielsenIQ is a global leader in consumer intelligence, trusted by companies worldwide to decode markets and drive growth. In South Africa, they extended this vision beyond data by investing directly in youth employability. Their Future Rise Programme reflects a commitment to dignity, opportunity, and leadership for tomorrow
Challenge
South Africa’s youth face steep barriers to employment: limited workplace exposure, uneven access to education, and a lack of confidence stepping into professional environments. NIQ wanted to invest in their employees’ family members (all unemployed) and provide a pathway into the workplace that built both skills and dignity.
Intervention
Partnering with Leverage Leadership, NIQ launched the Future Rise Work Readiness Learnership Programme. Learners completed the accredited Business Administration Qualification (NQF 4), while Leverage added modules in Emotional Intelligence, computer literacy (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), and foundational leadership concepts.
At Leverage, we believe leadership is not reserved for titles. Teaching every participant the basics of leadership, communication, accountability, teamwork, and problemsolving creates a sustainable future workforce. We cemented and launched the programme with these leadership principles at its core, ensuring that every learner was not just workplaceready, but futureready.
To bridge the gap between learning and practice, Leverage partnered with host companies to provide real workplace placements. NIQ associates mentored learners through workshops on budgeting, growth mindset, and mental health. Facilitators and assessors provided consistent support, ensuring learners were guided every step of the way.
Outcome
The results were transformative:
- Learners gained confidence, sharpened teamwork and communication skills, and began to see themselves as leaders in their own right.
- Host employers were so impressed with the learners’ professionalism that many extended permanent employment offers.
- NIQ strengthened its culture of empowerment, with employees feeling more connected and valued.
Participant Voices
The customised programme resonated deeply with learners, who described their highlights as follows:
- “I learned important workplace skills like communication, time management, teamwork and understanding different roles within an organisation. This experience helped me gain exposure in the workplace.” – Bongiwe
- “My highlight was the opportunity to gain practical work experience. It helped me apply my knowledge and develop confidence in business administration.” – Shaggy
- “I gained exposure to different aspects of business operations such as customer service, teamwork and problemsolving. This helped me gain confidence and stronger communication skills.” – KCJ
- “Getting exposure to different areas of business operations, customer service and teamwork was key. I became more confident in myself and learned to solve complex problems with others.” – Michaela
- “I learned how to communicate with others, improved my teamwork skills, managed time better and gained more confidence in myself.” – Mitah
- Some highlights included gaining practical workplace skills such as time management, communication and teamwork, and applying them in real work situations. Group sessions also allowed me to learn different perspectives.” – Nthabeleng
- “The highlight was the practical knowledge I gained in workplaces. It gave me insight into how companies work and helped me grow as a professional.” – Siphesihle
- “We learned how to communicate effectively, the importance of teamwork with respect and confidentiality, and how to solve problems. The support system boosted our confidence and made the journey empowering.” – Vinolia
These voices show how the programme’s design; customised to NIQ’s goals - translated into real workplace readiness: confidence, teamwork, communication, and problemsolving.
LeverageForward
This programme embodies our philosophy of LeverageForward: building on what already exists and propelling it into the future. By embedding leadership concepts into workplace readiness, we don’t just prepare participants for jobs, we prepare them to lead, adapt, and sustain growth in South Africa’s evolving economy.
NIQ’s Future Rise is more than a qualification; it’s a promise of opportunity, dignity, and leadership for tomorrow.