Meet the Research Team
As Christians, it's essential that we care and are informed about current affairs as we can’t remove ourselves from them because we are earthly beings and turning a blind eye to them could be detrimental to us. Furthermore, as young people in the church we need to also research and bring to light ways that can assist the church at large in sustainable systems concerning church governance. AGC FSS – Graduates introduces to you FSS Research team which was established in 2023 for the purposes of researching and bringing to light topics concerning current affairs and church governance for continuous improvement. The aim is not to drift our focus from our foundation which is Christ but to contribute to the knowledge shared in the Christian family.
Be Blessed
Youth unemployment and the skills of the future
Insights into South African unemployment, skills of the future and varsity applications.
FSS Research Team
31 Jan 2024
Article Introduction
The unemployment rate in South Africa for men and women willing to work remains high and this has become a major economic concern. Young people must bear the burden of waiting longer on the job market for their first job. The high unemployment rate in South Africa has been related to several factors such as geographical location, a slowdown in the rate of growth and the government debt. The increase in government debt means there’s little chance of funds being made available for youth empowerment programmes. The increase in the trade unions bargaining for wage increases is another factor that contributes to unemployment. Skills mismatch has been mentioned as another cause of unemployment. It is thought that when one has a university degree it should become easier to find job opportunities. Despite being qualified, South African youth struggle to enter the job market. South Africa is producing a high number of graduates, but the economy battles to employ them. This has led to the rate of unemployment amongst graduates being worse than it was a decade ago. Employers have indicated that graduates lack skills required by the industry which is one of the reasons for not hiring them. There’s a gap between skills developed during higher education and the skills required by the industry. This has led to SA graduates looking for opportunities abroad.
This paper will look at the causes and trends in unemployment amongst South African youth and the skills currently in demand by the employment sector.