Youth unemployment remains one of the top challenges facing South Africans today. Surprising though, it is not a new problem. The problem persists every year, thanks to the rapidly increasing population. Today, the government figures, but the rate of youth unemployment in South Africa at 63% by 2013. This problem is mainly as a result of structural failures over decades.
Those aged from 14 to 24, it is estimated that up to one-third f them are jobless. This is a broad classification that includes those that are not actively searching for a job and those that have given up on the same. As much as the economic condition is the main factor to blame, there are several personal factors that also contribute to this situation.
Most of these youths have low levels of education, the majority having dropped out of school at an early age. As a result, the most have poor communication skills, lack work experience; low literacy levels and lacks saleable technical skills. As a result, they are simply lacking the traits that the employers desire. This is a result of years of structural failures in policies and discrimination in different segments of the population.
The policies that had been put in place were all supply-side initiatives. These are the initiatives that address the structural causes of the problem. These are mainly directed at equipping youngsters with the necessary skills required for the job. They include upgrading of the formal education system to absorb more people, targeting-post school training, deployment programs and the public employment.
The Community Work Program (CWP) is an example of the programs that are being used to tackle the problem of unemployment in general. Although it does not target youths directly, up to 65% of those enrolled in this program are below the age of 35. It was started in 2008 and aims at supplementing the livelihood of the members with a basic income through some job. .
The Public Deployment Program has also gained fame in South Africa. The program is implemented through the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). The target is to equip the jobless youths with the necessary skills that can make them employable. The program lasts for 12 months, after which the graduates are equipped with the technical skills.
Like many other countries, South Africa has a well-developed program under the National Rural Youth Service Corps burner. The first face was in September of 2010 and the second phase is to begin soon. The program requires a 2 year intensive training after which the trainees are released to undertake the rural development projects. During this time, they are paid by the government and helps raise the living standards of the communities where they work while earning income.
The said programs are focused on the supply side of the problem, the demand side policies implemented so far focuses on giving the employers incentives to employ more people. This in addition to several other policies and proposals on the table should address the problem by open up the economy to absorb more people.
Those aged from 14 to 24, it is estimated that up to one-third f them are jobless. This is a broad classification that includes those that are not actively searching for a job and those that have given up on the same. As much as the economic condition is the main factor to blame, there are several personal factors that also contribute to this situation.
Most of these youths have low levels of education, the majority having dropped out of school at an early age. As a result, the most have poor communication skills, lack work experience; low literacy levels and lacks saleable technical skills. As a result, they are simply lacking the traits that the employers desire. This is a result of years of structural failures in policies and discrimination in different segments of the population.
The policies that had been put in place were all supply-side initiatives. These are the initiatives that address the structural causes of the problem. These are mainly directed at equipping youngsters with the necessary skills required for the job. They include upgrading of the formal education system to absorb more people, targeting-post school training, deployment programs and the public employment.
The Community Work Program (CWP) is an example of the programs that are being used to tackle the problem of unemployment in general. Although it does not target youths directly, up to 65% of those enrolled in this program are below the age of 35. It was started in 2008 and aims at supplementing the livelihood of the members with a basic income through some job. .
The Public Deployment Program has also gained fame in South Africa. The program is implemented through the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). The target is to equip the jobless youths with the necessary skills that can make them employable. The program lasts for 12 months, after which the graduates are equipped with the technical skills.
Like many other countries, South Africa has a well-developed program under the National Rural Youth Service Corps burner. The first face was in September of 2010 and the second phase is to begin soon. The program requires a 2 year intensive training after which the trainees are released to undertake the rural development projects. During this time, they are paid by the government and helps raise the living standards of the communities where they work while earning income.
The said programs are focused on the supply side of the problem, the demand side policies implemented so far focuses on giving the employers incentives to employ more people. This in addition to several other policies and proposals on the table should address the problem by open up the economy to absorb more people.
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