The jobs summit crux: continual learning to curb unemployment
Learning is also vital in creating a workforce that can collaborate with machines and automation
Today, October 4, the jobs summit officially kicked-off in Gauteng. Convened by the National Economic Development Labour Council (Nedlac), its mission is to combat the country’s 27.2% unemployment rate by examining contributing factors. A big concern will be kick-starting the recovery of a persistently weak economy that’s had significant implications for the first and second quarters of 2018. A total of 69,000 jobs have been lost in this period, although June 2018 did show 0.1% year-on-year growth from June 2017. The summit, along with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent announcement of an economic “rescue” package, should map a clearer path to how private and public sectors can co-operate to turn a drastic situation around. Education will, no doubt, be on the agenda and, while continual learning won’t enable mass employment, it can play a pivotal role in future-proofing the existing workplace. Ramping up economic recovery is a process, which will also require a commitment to job re...
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