Youth Labour Market Challenges in South Africa
Altman identifies labour market challenges facing South African youth, in view of the high chance of long-term unemployment among young people. She assesses labour market dynamics, questioning whether the economy is creating low-skill jobs, whether education improves people’s chances in the labour market, and whether graduate unemployment is a problem because young people study inappropriate…
read more >>Youth population scenarios: Summary of Phase I theme papers
In 2009, the Department of Social Development commissioned the Human Sciences Research Council to produce theme papers on South Africa’s demographic transition, especially the implications of a growing youth population. A key requirement for any country to benefit from the demographic transition is to significantly broaden and deepen opportunities for young people to develop their…
read more >>The state of youth: Social Dynamics
Potgieter-Gqubule and Ngcobo examine five aspects of the context in which the current generation of young people find themselves: · Material well-being, including access to basic services, poverty and unemployment, education and health · Socialisation of young people, focusing on the family, schools and places of religion · Youth culture and identity · Participation of young people in society, including…
read more >>The State of youth: Labour market status & policy challenges
South Africa’s demographic profile and its youth bulge provide a unique opportunity for reducing poverty rates over the next decade, and fundamentally changing the structure of the labour force. Doing this, however, requires deliberate policies and interventions to address the needs of young people in the post-apartheid labour markets. Altman and Potgieter-Gqubule examine reasons for…
read more >>A Review of Labour Markets in South Africa: Career Guidance and Employment Services
School-to-work transition, in a broader sense, is a comprehensive approach to educational programme development that aligns student goals with educational experiences and services. In a narrower sense, it is the process whereby young people move from full-time schooling to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, community participation, and potential employment. The latter might take…
read more >>Grappling with Youth Employability in South Africa
Marock reviews youth employability in South Africa, focusing on the minimum capabilities required to enable economic participation. She then considers the extent to which these capabilities are being developed in local schools, and explores the role of special programmes in bridging identified gaps. Finally, she analyses broader contextual issues around employability and highlights questions that…
read more >>Potential Attrition in Education: Impact of Job Satisfaction, Morale, Workload and HIV/AIDS
Any analysis of teacher attrition must assess workplace and labour market considerations. For example, dissatisfaction with the workplace can be an important inducement for teachers to seek alternative opportunities. The more teachers believe there are alternative opportunities, the less willing they might be to address workplace frustrations. The overall aim of this study (SOC_POL006) was…
read more >>Educator Supply and Demand in the South African Public Education System: Integrated Report
The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) commissioned a study on the supply of and demand for educators. This followed anecdotal reports that educators were leaving the profession in large numbers, for reasons such as low morale, job dissatisfaction, AIDS and premature mortality. A consortium consisting of the Human Sciences Research Council, the Medical Research Council…
read more >>Inequalities in Higher Education and the Structure of the Labour Market
“Moleke examines the inequities in higher education in South Africa and their consequences for the labour market. She uses the Human Sciences Research Council’s research on the employment experiences of university graduates in South Africa, based on a sample of 2 672 university graduates who obtained their qualifications between 1990 and 1998 across all fields of…
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