South Africa’s sickeningly high unemployment rate exists alongside countless vacancies for artisans, technicians and skilled workers, and the class of 2025 should pay attention.
“For too long, we’ve operated under the assumption that everyone should pursue a university degree. The result is unemployed graduates on one hand and critical skills shortages on the other. Technical and vocational education offers a direct pathway to meaningful employment. In a country with an unemployment crisis, we cannot afford to ignore the skills economy,” says Kagiso Trust CEO Mankodi Moitse.
She advises:
- New trade and occupation qualifications put greater emphasis on practical skills, so students have integrated assessments that test theoretical knowledge and practical ability rather than theoretical exams;
- Technical and vocational education training (TVET) institutions are now offering only courses for which there is labour market demand;
- Students need only the level of maths and science necessary to practise their chosen trade; and
- Vocational skills offer young people the chance to get better jobs, earn higher salaries and enjoy more job security than many degrees. — Margaret Harris
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