Businesses need to aid skills development to alleviate joblessness – expert

With the department of higher education and training statistics pointing to less than a third of South African adults being in possession of a matric certificate – a qualification largely regarded as a prerequisite for jobseekers – the country is far from addressing soaring unemployment figures unless business invested in skills development.

This is the view of an education expert, against the background of public schools matric results released yesterday by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, which also reflected a failure rate.

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According to Optimi Workplace’s Phemelo Segoe – a leading education and training firm – South Africa faced “a much broader issue and challenge at play”.

“The numbers paint an alarming picture. They point to the many millions of South Africans who cannot find employment, while the country continues to have one of the highest unemployment rates in the world – unable to break intergenerational cycles of poverty,” said Segoe.

Businesses and skills development

The answer, argued Segoe, lay in “encouraging businesses to take part in upskilling initiatives, where they provide adult South Africans with an opportunity to complete their adult matric or what is known as an Amended Senior Certificate (ASC)”.

“In fact, the regulatory environment incentivises this, by providing companies with additional B-BBEE [broad-based black economic empowerment] points for engaging in such initiatives.

“The broader benefits for society, though, are potentially extremely positive,” explained Segoe. Professor Nicky Roberts, director of Kelello Consulting, said: “Failing matric is a setback, but not the end of the world.

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“In relation to the Second Chance Matric Programme (SCMP), there are structured programmes in the department of basic education.

“I don’t like a strong pass or fail claim,” Roberts said.

“It is really about the qualityof the pass – somebody who has a diploma pass and not a bachelor’s pass needs to think about the opportunities to rewrite and to look into the SCMP.

“There are also a range of options that are available for pupils with Grade 9. There are also further education and training colleges that are for more technical courses that can be looked into.”

Businesses will benefit too

Added Segoe: “Businesses that offer skills development programmes for low-skilled employees and unemployed community members stand to earn up to 25 points towards their B-BBEE scorecard.

“Companies with more than R50 million turnover need to spend 6% of their payroll on skills development to qualify.

“These skills development initiatives can take a variety of forms: the ASC, adult education and training (AET) and learnerships, which are particularly valuable. With an ASC, pupils have a qualification that is recognised as the equivalent of a matric,” said Segoe.

“Through AET, adults who fell off the academic wagon some time before Grade 9 have access to formal education – and through learnerships, employees can gain practical work experience, earning a living while they complete their qualification.

“Companies that make this investment are not only helping to address one of South Africa’s critical issues, both in terms of education and employment, but are also likely to improve their business efficiency, productivity and overall performance.

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“Employees who are supported in this way are also likely to feel loyal to a particular company, which reduces the costs associated with a high turnover.”

Upskilling employees who did not have a matric or helping new recruits to complete their matric – before coming on board – offered “a variety of real and tangible benefits”.

“In a country like South Africa, which is beset by many complex socioeconomic and political issues, it’s best to view responsibility for addressing these problems, as shared,” said Segoe.

– brians@citizen.co.za