Authored by: Dr Karina de Bruin, managing director of the JvR Academy
Grade 12 learners will soon be facing their final school exams. For most, this will be followed by extended matric holidays. But what happens thereafter? For the lucky ones, it may be further studies at a higher education institution, or perhaps joining a family business. The brave ones may start their own enterprises, while others may choose to take a so-called ‘gap year’ to try and finalise their future career plans. However, with only a few months left, many matriculants are still not sure where they will find themselves in the new year. Numbers don’t lie Finding a job in a crippled economy may be a challenge. According to Statistics SA (May 2018), South Africans between 15-34 remain vulnerable in the labour market. Many young people become so discouraged by the lack of work opportunities, that they also become disinterested in further education or training. Almost one in every three young people between 15 and 24 were not employed, or part of the education and training system in the first quarter of this year. Graduate employment figures also show that a university degree does not guarantee a job. The unemployment rate among graduates aged 15-24 was just over 33%, and among those between 25 and 34 years, just more than 10%. Research has highlighted various factors that contribute to graduate unemployment. These include negative perceptions about certain higher education institutions by prospective employers, lack of work experience, lack of behavioural skills required by the specific industry, and cultural fit. All these figures and research paint a rather bleak picture to school leavers who are about to take their first steps into the adult world. The resilient bright side If we are a bit more optimistic, the figures also tell us that two in every three young people between 15 and 24 were employed, or in education in the first quarter of this year. So why is it possible for some young people to find their feet in the labour market? Again, there are many external factors contributing to this. However, we often forget about one of the most important factors that lead to success: the resilience of the jobseeker. And then the question arises of why some people are more resilient than others. Researchers in the field of positive psychology have spent many hours trying to figure this out. In the engineering world, resilience refers to the ability of an object, or structure, to spring back into shape after it was exposed to a severe force or pressure. Other terms associated with resilience are elasticity, flexibility, pliability, plasticity, and adaptability. In human terms, resilience refers to the ability of a person to recover from setbacks, adapt well to change, and keep going even when facing difficult circumstances. To survive in a country with a high level of unemployment, resilience is probably one of the most important skills for anyone to possess. The characteristics of a resilient person remind us a bit of Aesop’s fable of the neighbouring willow and oak trees. Amid a raging storm, the mighty and solid Oak collapsed, as it was rigid and inflexible. On the other hand, the Willow survived owing to its ability to be flexible and adaptable to weather storms. How to become a Willow Tree How can we as humans cultivate such a willow-like character? Although researchers have made strong links between resilience, genetic and biological factors, the good news is that we can also learn to be more resilient! Here are a few ideas:
ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za ABOUT JvR Africa Group: JvR Africa Group of companies consists of JvR Psychometrics, JvR Consulting Psychologists, JvR Academy, and JvR Safety. With its head office situated in Johannesburg, the group conducts business nationally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. They work with test developers, consultants and academic institutions all over the world, and support a range of development opportunities and host events around People Development in Africa, a cause they feel is extremely important to the future of our continent. For more information on JvR Africa Group please visit: Website: https://jvrafricagroup.co.za/ LinkedIn: JvR Africa Group Facebook: The JvR Africa Group - People Development in Africa Twitter: JvR Africa Group YouTube: The JvR Africa Grou
0 Comments
South Africa will be celebrating its annual Youth Day on Saturday, with the theme for June: “Live the Legacy: Towards a socio-economically empowered youth.”
Millions of South African youths have however, very little to celebrate. According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) approximately 3.3million of the 10.3million young people aged between 14-24 years were not in employment, education or training in the first quarter of 2018. This implies that close to one in three young South Africans in this age group were disengaged with the labour market. More than 10% of the graduates aged between 25–34 years could not find a job, despite their education. The burden of unemployment is also concentrated amongst the youth as they account for 63,5% of the total number of unemployed persons. Lack of employability skills Dr Karina de Bruin, JvR Academy Managing Director, says these results are a “sad reality”, despite efforts over the years to improve the plight of South Africa’s future generations. “The education system focuses on subject and functional competencies. And that should indeed be the case,” she says. “One should be able to read, write, calculate, understand history, geography and science. All these subjects contribute to potential career and personal development.” However, a crucial element of career and personal development is employability and the skills that makes one employable. The employability skills listed by employers include: problem solving, initiative and self-motivation, coping with pressure, team work, ability to learn and adapt, valuing diversity and negotiating skills. “The education system is lacking when it comes to this aspect of employability. We should also not forget that the individual is as important in determining employability.” Responsibility for one’s own development De Bruin refers to a Malaysian study which demonstrates that “self-concept, participation in career development activities, and industrial training” play the biggest role in terms of the acquisition of employability skills. The first two elements are solely related to the individual. She says another aspect that should be added is self-directedness: taking responsibility for one's own development. Young people need to look for opportunities to develop their workplace and functional skills, but also to obtain behavioural competencies that will contribute to finding and keeping a job. “Employability skills are often overlooked when attempts are made to make the youth economically active.” Many people have become involved in youth initiatives, simply because it seems to be the right thing to do. There is a lot of talking, just to advance their own careers. “If we look at the huge numbers of young people who go untouched by many of the youth bodies, it is indeed unsettling,” De Bruin remarks. Small steps for future change “My philosophy in terms of people development has always been that you only need to touch one or two people... They go back to their communities and make a difference in the lives of those around them as well.” De Bruin believes simple and small changes is achievable to have meaningful long-term effects. One step is to infuse the education curriculum with employability skills development, another is to enhance communication channels between important role players so that everybody starts putting words into action. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za ABOUT JvR Africa Group: JvR Africa Group of companies consists of JvR Psychometrics, JvR Consulting Psychologists, JvR Academy, and JvR Safety. With it’s head office is situated in Johannesburg; the group conducts business nationally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. They work with test developers, consultants and academic institutions all over the world and supports a range of development opportunities and hosts events around People Development in Africa, a cause they feel is extremely important to the future of our continent. For more information on JvR Africa Group please visit: Website: https://jvrafricagroup.co.za/ LinkedIn: JvR Africa Group Facebook: The JvR Africa Group - People Development in Africa Twitter: JvR Africa Group YouTube: The JvR Africa Group |
Welcome to the JvR Africa Group Newsroom.
Archives
August 2019
Categories
All
|