Bridging graduate-workplace divide

SOUTH Africa’s graduate unemployment rate has surged from 8.7% last year to 11.7% this year — prompting questions about the value of a university degree in a struggling economy.

- DR LINDA MEYER

However, the question should not be about the value of further education, but rather about the systemic issues that continue to cause barriers to employment post-graduation.

The case for more education, not less, is settled on the numbers. For those with only a matric certificate, the unemployment rate hovers at 34.9%; and it climbs to 39% for those without. The graduate unemployment rate, while up from last year, is a fraction of this at 11.7%.

However, despite the clear case for education, the growing disconnect between tertiary education and employability demands urgent attention. There are six clear barriers to employment for graduates, which must be addressed through an urgent coming together between higher education institutions, government and industry.

Economic barriers