Youth unemployment is a widespread problem that impacts economies around the world, and particularly South Africa. Globally, according to the ILO and World Bank, an estimated 14% of young people are unemployed, however, this masks the high numbers experienced by certain countries. In South Africa, the youth unemployment rate in 2024 stands at a
staggering 45% according to StatsSA. While economic factors, educational discrepancies, and technological advancements are commonly cited as primary causes of youth unemployment, increasing evidence indicates that a lack of soft skills and work readiness also plays a significant role (Global Employment Trends for Youth 2020).
Soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence, are crucial for success in the workplace. Unlike job-specific technical skills, soft skills are universally valuable and transferable across different roles and industries. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, employers are increasingly looking for candidates who have a combination of technical and soft skills (World Economic Forum, 2020). This combination is essential because it allows individuals to adapt to changing job requirements, work effectively in teams, and navigate the complexities of modern work environments. This is why many companies are more inclined to hire candidates with these skills, as they know they can handle the required job with minimal oversight and training.
Work readiness is about the preparedness of an individual to effectively enter and perform in the workforce. It encompasses not only technical and academic competencies but also soft skills, professional behaviours, and an understanding of workplace norms and expectations. It’s evident that the lack of these soft skills is resulting in employers spending a significant amount of money on capacitating employees’ skills to enhance their competence. This is not the ideal situation.
A study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that employers prioritise work readiness skills, including professionalism, work ethic, and critical thinking, when evaluating job candidates (NACE, 2021). Young people need to develop strong soft skills to enhance their employability. Attributes such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, initiative, and self-motivation are highly valued by employers. These skills enable individuals to effectively manage tasks, set goals, and drive projects forward without constant supervision. Additionally, effective resource management skills are critical for maximising productivity and meeting deadlines. Without these competencies, young people may face challenges in retaining jobs and advancing their careers, which could impact their long-term professional growth and success. The lack of these skills among youth can result in difficulty securing employment and succeeding in their roles. Various reasons can explain the lack of soft skills among youth.
Factors such as digital communication, technology dependency, and lack of experience contribute to this issue. This piece explores parental, social, and educational factors to shed light on this problem. Parental and societal pressures often prioritise academic and technical achievements over the development of interpersonal skills. This leads to an environment where success is measured by grades and test scores rather than emotional intelligence and communication abilities. Educational systems frequently mirror these priorities, emphasising standardised testing and core academic subjects while neglecting the importance of soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability. In many cultures, a higher value is placed on individual success and competition, which diminishes the emphasis on collaboration and empathy. These skills are essential for thriving in a diverse and interconnected world.
The Seriti aRe Bapaleng Early Childhood Development Programme aims to tackle the lack of interpersonal and emotional skills among young people. The programme‘s focus is on changing the perspectives of parents and society to emphasise the importance of emotional intelligence and social skills from an early age. It actively involves parents and caregivers, educating them about the crucial role of promoting emotional and social development alongside academic success. Through providing resources, workshops, and home visits, the programme encourages practices that integrate technical learning with the nurturing of empathy, communication, and teamwork.
This comprehensive approach aims to create an environment where success is not solely determined by grades and test scores, but also by a child’s ability to manage social interactions and develop strong emotional resilience. This helps balance the traditional emphasis on purely academic and technical accomplishments. In 2022, when Seriti Institute started implementing the National Youth Service (NYS) Programme (under the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative) providing work opportunities for unemployed youth in activities linked to ECD, I saw that for many this was their first–ever exposure to work. It became clear that some key challenges needed to be overcome if youth were to have a fair shot at becoming more readily employable. While some of the youth came with some qualifications, most still needed extensive training in developing skills such as professionalism, work ethics, emotional intelligence, understanding leadership, and conflict management. Given the nature of the traditional education system that most of these youth had emerged from, they subsequently lacked such soft skills as the focus in such an education system had been more on achieving educational outcomes. This is not unique to South Africa. According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2019, many education systems do not adequately incorporate soft skills training into their curricula.
In addition to this barrier to youth becoming more employable, many already start on the back foot, having limited to no prior work experience – again, a context where soft skills are developed and honed. Many young people have limited opportunities for internships, part-time jobs, or other forms of work experience that can help them develop essential workplace skills. The International Labour Organization (ILO) stated in 2018 that work-based learning opportunities are crucial for young people to acquire the skills and experience needed for employment. In support of this point, the Stats SA report, states that young people who have some form of experiential learning, apprenticeships, and work experience are more able to find and retain employment. Furthermore, Youth from disadvantaged backgrounds may face additional barriers, such as lack of access to quality education, training programs, and professional networks, which can hinder the development of soft skills and work readiness. To begin to address these challenges, as part of the implementation of the NYS, at Seriti we realised that we needed to come up with training content to help capacitate youth accordingly – to develop their soft skills and preparedness for the world of work – and thus position them more favourably before exiting the programme. Among past youth participants, the soft skills training we provided received overwhelmingly positive feedback with all participants reporting that they felt better prepared for the workforce as a result. Young people are hungry for this kind of capacity development support. Many participants suggested continuing mentorship through WhatsApp to share additional reading materials and job opportunities. Some participants reached out to thank us for helping them secure employment and identify their skills and abilities. Some have even started their businesses or organisations, while others have been inspired to return to school.
Unfortunately, despite some of these wonderful success stories, it remains a struggle for youth to successfully find sustainable employment. While the NYS is an important catalyst to changing youth futures, public employment is only one aspect of what needs to become a comprehensive set of policy support interventions working in tandem, as an all of society approach to empowering youth in South Africa.
To address the skills gap and improve youth employability, several strategies can be implemented:
1.Integrating Soft Skills Training into Education: Educational institutions should incorporate soft skills training into their curriculum. Programs that emphasise communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and other essential skills can better prepare students for the workforce like the CTU Corporate Training is one of the institutions that offers hybrid education and training solutions that drive personal and professional growth..
2.Promoting Work-Based Learning: Expanding opportunities for internships, apprenticeships, and other forms of work-based learning can help youth gain practical experience and develop work readiness skills. Partnerships between educational institutions and employers can facilitate these opportunities e.g. Standard Bank offers an exceptional graduate programme that provides young people with the opportunity to build essential skills and gain valuable experience, significantly enhancing they’re employability after graduation.
3.Providing Support for Disadvantaged Youth: Targeted programs and initiatives that support disadvantaged youth in developing soft skills and gaining work experience can help bridge the gap and promote equal employment opportunities and this is what the NY S Programme is doing.
4.Employer Involvement: Employers can play a significant role by providing training and mentoring programs that focus on soft skills development. By investing in the workforce of tomorrow, businesses can ensure a more skilled and capable talent pool of candidates.
At Seriti, we are actively engaged in finding solutions to address the gap in soft skills. Ultimately, there needs to be excellent soft-skills and work readiness programs that offer youth pathways into employment. The lack of soft skills and work readiness is a significant factor contributing to youth unemployment and unemployability, addressing this issue requires a collaborative effort from educational institutions, employers, and policymakers. By prioritising the development of soft skills and work readiness, we can better prepare youth for the demands of the modern workforce and improve their chances of securing meaningful employment.
