Jobs report urges reskilling to meet market demands
Department of labour’s report says low-skilled people will struggle to find work as automation and technological bring in changes
Policymakers should act now to prepare for changes brought on by automation and technological developments as new trends show a widening gap in available skills versus demand. The most recent Job Opportunities and Unemployment report released by the department of labour paints a bleak picture for low-skilled unemployed people, with only 36% of the total job vacancies advertised in 2017/2018 requiring people with qualifications below grade 12 certificates. These people were likely to remain unemployed in the long run as they do not possess the skills needed in the labour market. SA has an unemployment rate of more than 27% with young people making up the majority of the jobless. “The skills mismatch will probably accelerate, worsening the imbalance between skills supply and demand as the new markets rise and the nature of work shifts,” reads the report. The report recommends that educational institutions must “redesign” the curriculum to encourage critical thinking and creativity whi...
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