Infographic: Skills Supply and Demand in SA

The 2016 Skills Supply and Demand Report was published by the Labour Market Intelligence Partnership (LMIP), a research consortium led by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training. This first report on skills supply and demand will contribute to the skills planning required to support societal development and an inclusive economic growth path. Unemployment is particularly high amongst youth (15 to 34 years) and the skill base of the south African labour force is lower than that of many other productive economies.

Enrolments have increased in both universities and TVET colleges. In 2010/11, 0.74% of the unemployed attended SETA-supported training programmes and this doubled to 1.6% in 2014/15. Qualification gaps refer to the demand for skills and the report showed that the skills gap showed no or very little contraction from 2010 to 2014.

The Report revealed the following interesting statistics:

  • In 2014, 60% of unemployed youth and 42% of employed youth had less than a grade 12 certificate
  • The youth population with tertiary qualifications increased by 1.8% from 11% in 2010 to 12.8% in 2014
  • Public university enrolments increased by 8.5% during this period
  • In 2010/11, 0.74% of the unemployed attended SETA-supported training programmes and this doubled to 1.6% in 2014/15

Some key recommendations were improve the supply of technicians and improve the match between field of study and labour market destination. Given the high levels of youth unemployment, where the majority have less than a secondary certificate, there is also a strong argument to prioritise appropriate skills training by SETAs.

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