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BusinessLive writes that the persistent problem of skills mismatch in the labour market has not only become a significant contributor to the unemployment crisis, but is also a signifier of an ineffective education system unable to meet the economy’s needs.
The unmet skills demands for labour in a country in which 7% of university graduates and 33% of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college graduates are unemployed illustrate the disjuncture between the education system and the world of work. The youth unemployment rate is more than 38%, but recruitment specialists are desperate for solutions as vacancies remain unfilled due to the scarcity of suitable candidates for occupations in high demand. Yet, the list of occupations in high demand was last released in 2016. An undertaking to update its contents in 2017 was not fulfilled. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), which is supposed to collate all data provided by the Department of Labour and other contributors of skills required for the economy, has seemingly not met its mandate to guide the career choices of students and inform allocations by the National Skills Fund, sector education training authorities (Setas) and other bursary providers. Additionally, Transman CEO Angela Dick, who is also a Business Unity SA director, says the practical skills that industry and business need are not forthcoming from institutions of higher learning. Nonetheless, in December the DHET invited public comment on the proposed National Skills Development Plan, which was developed to improve the integration of the post-school education and training system and the interface between it, tertiary education institutions and the world of work.
Read this insightful report by Theto Mahlakoana in full at BusinessLive
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