Exploring the factors influencing the graduate unemployment rate of National Youth Service in the North West Province
Abstract
Youth unemployment has been a predominant challenge for decades, affecting the international, regional, and national economies. Education has been identified as a solution to the challenge facing young people around the world. However, youth unemployment affects both who are educated and those who are not. The South African government introduced skills development programs focusing on the youth to alleviate poverty. Even so, youth unemployment among the skilled is persistent. Youth unemployment has resulted in resentment towards government-led programs aimed at curbing unemployment as they are perceived as ineffective.
Given this background, the objectives of the study were designed to (1) determine the effectiveness of the national youth service program in developing skills needed in the labour market, (2) determine stakeholder involvement in the conceptualization, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the skills development program and (3) determine the extent of the relationship between the Department of Social Development and the National Youth Development Agency. The research methodology used to achieve the objectives of the study was the quantitative method. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data. Questionnaires were self-administered to obtain primary data from (90) graduates and (10) stakeholders who took part in the NYSP. The main research finding indicates that 83% of the NYSP graduates are unemployed since completing the skills development program in the 2017 fiscal year. The study established that a lack of stakeholder participation and commitment in the NYSP may be attributed to the high NYS graduate unemployment rate. It was also established that the NYDA does not have the NYS exit strategy for line departments to implement on completion of the NYSP. Established in the study is the inability of NYDA to hold line departments accountable for the implementation and reporting of the key performance indicators linked to the agency objectives because of unclear reporting lines. Among others, the study recommends that stakeholder identification should take place before the program conceptualization. In addition, the National government must ensure that there are clear reporting protocols between the line departments and the NYDA.