South Africa has the Potential to Harness Benefits of its Young Population
Key Highlights :
South Africa has the potential to reap the rewards of having more than half of its population under 30 years old. But due to a skills mismatch, the country has not been able to benefit from this demographic dividend. This is largely due to the fact that the expectations of employers do not match the technical skills of the young people. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made the situation worse, with its disproportionate impact on young and low-skilled workers.
To address this unemployment crisis, the South African government established the National Rural Youth Service Corps programme in 2010. The programme was designed to equip young people in rural areas with technical and vocational skills to enhance their employment prospects or ability to create their own businesses. Participants receive a stipend during their two years of participation, and are trained in leadership, networking, and problem-solving.
A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the programme in bridging the skills mismatch, and to identify the skills most likely to be associated with labour market success. The results showed that the key determinant of success for participants was the improvement in their soft skills, such as problem-solving, networking and leadership skills. This highlights the critical role of soft skills in the labour market, and the need for increased emphasis on these skills in employment support programmes.
However, the programme has a number of weaknesses that limit its effectiveness in linking its graduates to stable employment or viable enterprise creation. These include insufficient support to programme alumni after their exit, and a mismatch between acquired skills and what employers want.
In order to succeed, there must be greater synergy between the various stakeholders involved in rural enterprise development and employment creation. There must also be an alignment of skills taught to learners and the needs of employers. Graduates must be assisted with relevant resources, especially land and start-up capital. Support for graduates must be streamlined to ensure effective tracking of participants when they graduate and that their needs are assessed properly. Lastly, soft skills should form the core of any programme for youth employment.
South Africa has the potential to benefit from its young population, but it needs to address the skills mismatch in order to do so. The National Rural Youth Service Corps programme is a step in the right direction, but it needs to be improved in order to ensure its effectiveness in linking graduates to stable employment or viable enterprise creation. By taking the necessary steps to bridge the skills gap, South Africa can benefit from its young population and reap the rewards of the demographic dividend.
