1. Graduates and Job Seeking
“The question of unemployment opportunities is frightening as more young people are
about to enter the labour market worldwide than ever before in the history of mankind.”
- Dr Rénette Du Toit
While a tertiary qualification certainly is an advantage, it does not guarantee employment.
Many graduates receive a rude awakening as they are increasingly faced with the stringent
criteria for recruitment and this somewhat unfairly includes past experience. Is it then
for these reasons that youth unemployment outweighs adult unemployment by a large
margin? This is cause for concern given that research results suggest that of the
unemployed many youth may never find employment due to the very fact of a ‘lack of
experience’. Most youth therefore remain unemployed and unskilled for a considerable
length of time.
In her essay, Unemployed youth in South Africa: The Distressed Generation? Dr Reinette du Toit
(2003) offers the following reasons why youth unemployment figures are high
“
• Recession times see a suspension in recruitment with the youth receiving the brunt of
unemployment, often because they lack the experience of their adult counterparts.
• A “lack of education and job-related skills”,
• A “lack of labour market information
• “Financial and Psychological deprivation” (Du Toit, 2003: 4) as well as issues
concerning
• “. . . self-esteem and personal competence.” (Du Toit, 2003: 11)”
Youth and graduate unemployment in many instances have far-reaching consequences
economically, socially and psychologically. The despondency, depression and sheer
hardship that come with unemployment give way to far greater social problems such as
an increase in drug and other substance abuse, crime, social and moral degeneration.
There are however, some support groups that offer guidance for youth seeking
employment. One such an institution is The Alternative Information and Development
Centre (AIDC). The AIDC recently established the Right to Work Campaign which takes a
stand against unemployment. The organisation envisages the development of a
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2. “framework for an alternative economic development strategy which is job creating and
makes inroads into the current high unemployment levels”. (AIDC.ORG.ZA.
According to the AIDC programme officer, Simphiwe Dada, he believes that to combat
unemployment “South Africa needs a collective not individual solution”. By this he
means that parents, teachers, the community should all get involved in job/income
creation through entrepreneurial projects while the children are still at school and
especially in Matric.
While unemployment may be disheartening for graduates, the positive aspects of a
university degree/tertiary qualification is that they are in most cases geared towards a
specific field or career. One only has to bide ones time.
Despite unemployment and the rigorous employment criteria for graduates, all it not lost.
However arduous and daunting the task, there are certain steps graduates can take to
somewhat counteract unemployment and the effects thereof. Many graduates are
stymied when faced with the issue of lack of experience. Any sort of work experience
(part time, voluntary, etc) however unrelated could assist in gaining experience. Many
institutions do not offer gainful employment across the board. NPOs and Charities are
continuously seeking volunteers. Such volunteers often receive at least a monthly
stipend in either cash or kind, or both. They offer a large spectrum of activities and
projects in which the unemployed could be engaged. This gives experience and skills
such as leadership, people skills, communication skills. After such a stint a graduate is
armed with some form of ‘credential’ – no matter how mediocre or insignificant it may
seem.
Entrepreneurship too is a thorny issue in as far as funding/financing is concerned.
Entrepreneurial courses such as The Junior Achievers are a viable means of getting educated
in entrepreneurial and small business ventures and it offers one a platform for getting
started.
In conclusion, the long and short of it all is that although unemployment is high right
now “you are responsible for shaping your own future – that is the recipe for success”,
so take the driver’s seat and get into gear. Who knows where the road will lead to?
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3. Bibliography
1. Du Toit, R. (2003). Unemployed Youth in South Africa: The Distressed
Generation?
2. http://www.petech.ac.za/sc/careerdevelopment.htm, 16/09/2005
3. http://www.aidc.org.za/, 14/092005
4. Electronic interview: Mr Simphiwe Dada, Programme officer: Alternative
Information and Development Centre, 19/09/2005, 15: 11.
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