Exchange Rate Movements
This paper forms part of an Human Sciences Research Council project on exchange rates and employment, which seeks to understand the impact of exchange rate fluctuations on employment in South Africa. Exchange rate movements have a strong influence on a country’s level of economic activity. Exchange rate volatility introduces an element of risk and hence…
read more >>Social Grant for Youth – some policy options: Framework On Social Security For Youth In South Africa
South African youth experience extremely high levels of unemployment and poverty. Currently there is no social assistance for low-income young adults, unless they are disabled. Interventions are needed that can achieve widespread poverty alleviation, as well as facilitate economic participation to improve lifelong earnings. Altman et al. consider six examples of social security policy options,…
read more >>The state of youth: Trends in education attainment
Sheppard provides an overview of the education attainment of the youth in South Africa. He focuses on the 18–24 and 25–35 age cohorts, but also briefly reviews trends in the participation of younger age groups in primary and secondary education, given the impact of their participation rate and education attainment on the youth. The paper…
read more >>The state of youth: A demographic perspective
The share of youth population in South Africa has grown substantially – from 17.9% in 1960 to 20.5% in 2009. This trend is likely to continue into the next decade, with a significant reversal expected from about 2020s. The size and trend in the youth population have many implications for socioeconomic development. From a policy standpoint,…
read more >>The state of youth: Is the health status of youth improving?
This paper examines the health status of South African youth in the past 15 years, using available quantitative data. Specific areas of interest include youth disability, substance abuse, sexual and reproductive behaviour, and HIV and AIDS. The paper also assesses the pattern of health status implied in official statistics on mortality among the youth. The…
read more >>The role of business in supporting youth transitions; Concept note developed for BUSA
Altman and Marock prepared this report for Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) to support its engagements on youth unemployment. In particular, they reflect on the potential of the private sector to support the youth employment initiatives being implemented by government. The programmes reviewed include:· Skills development (linked to education and training) and/or internship programmes · Work readiness…
read more >>First Employment Experiences of Graduates
The Human Sciences Research Council studied the first employment experiences of South African graduates to identify trends in the local labour market for graduates over the period 1991–1995. Moleke reports on the study, first introducing the research methodology and giving a brief overview of the South African labour market. She then discusses the employment of…
read more >>Finding Work: Employment Experiences of South African Graduates
People with higher education enjoy a clear advantage in the labour market. However, this advantage is not experienced by all graduates – differences occur by race and gender. If graduates are regularly surveyed, a picture can be obtained of their entry into and progression through the labour market. A graduate tracking system can provide prospective…
read more >>Meeting Equity Targets: Are There Enough Graduates
Several sectors have expressed concern that the higher education sector may not be offering a sufficient supply of black graduates to enable them to reach equity targets. Altman and Lee offer baseline data to identify the possible pool of learners and graduates from previously disadvantaged groups from which industry might source its employees. Their brief…
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