Despite the country's higher education institutions churning out thousands of qualified graduates every year, many struggle to find jobs after graduation. This situation is not only frustrating for young people, but it also has serious implications for the country's economy, with a huge impact on the growth trajectory of the country.
In 2023, Statistics SA reported that approximately 3,4 million young people within the ages 15 - 24 are neither in education, or training, or employed. About 50,4% of the 7,8 million unemployed persons do not have matric, and only 39,5% have completed matric. Almost 7% of the unemployed had other tertiary qualifications, while 2,7% were graduates.
We talk to unemployed graduates.
32 years Kyle Arries. He studied B Com general at the University of the Western Cape. He completed it in 2017. He was unemployed for 2 years, then he worked for a construction company for a year, then he became part of the Yes Program, an initiative by Youth@WORK, which places unemployed youth.
28 year LLB Graduate Thandiswa Moleleki. She graduated from the University of North West, and is based in the North West Province.
She got into an internship and served articles for two years until July 2023. She has been trying to find employment. She says she spends time watching court cases online, and her interest is Family Law.
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