Graduate unemployment dropped to 10.4% in South Africa during the third quarter, but thousands of degree holders still cannot find work because companies want experience and practical skills over just academic credentials. The overall jobless rate sits at 31.9%, and youth aged 15 to 24 are getting destroyed with a 58.5% unemployment rate. Experts say the education system pumps out theory-heavy graduates who lack hands-on training, and the gap between classroom learning and actual job requirements keeps widening.
Tiego Monareng from a design thinking school says students need to prove they can adapt and problem-solve instead of just waving their diplomas around. Economic growth is stuck at 1%, which is way below the 3% needed to create meaningful job opportunities. Families are burning through savings to fund degrees that are not translating into employment, and graduates are stuck doing gig work or moving back home.
Fixing this mess requires internships, soft-skills training, and government programs that support apprenticeships and entrepreneurship in emerging sectors.
Tiego Monareng from a design thinking school says students need to prove they can adapt and problem-solve instead of just waving their diplomas around. Economic growth is stuck at 1%, which is way below the 3% needed to create meaningful job opportunities. Families are burning through savings to fund degrees that are not translating into employment, and graduates are stuck doing gig work or moving back home.
Fixing this mess requires internships, soft-skills training, and government programs that support apprenticeships and entrepreneurship in emerging sectors.
