What is youth unemployment?

Youth employment in South Africa is a sensitive issue which most young people struggle with. The rate
youth unemployment in South Africa is extremely high and it is the leading cause of poverty. The youth
goes to school to study in an attempt to upgrade their lives however it is still difficult to find a job. Going
to school is no longer guaranteed that you will find employment especially on what you have studied for.
It is quite depressing having to go to university or any other form of higher education facility and still
not get a job after you graduating from the course you studied for. It seems as if the government is not
doing enough to help the dilemma that the youth is facing in terms of employment. People believe that
all this is due to corruption of the government whereby employment is only given to people because of
who they know or have connections with. Chances of getting employment which in relation to your
obtained academic qualification are low when you are job hunting. Most people do jobs that are below
their qualifications only because they want to be able to afford basic needs for survival. The youth is
honestly struggling in South Africa, the rate of unemployment rises drastically every year and statistics
in SA indicates that yearly. This is why the youth ends up resorting to illegal ways for survival. Others
become criminals only because they are not functioning without a job. There are responsibilities that
should be taken care of and they keep on building up then the pressure triggers the mind to do unlawful
acts in order to survive. There are services that help the youth to get employment. They have been
existing for many years now. The most two popular ones are Harambee and National Youth Development
Agency (NYDA), which both assist in creating employment opportunities for the youth. Other services
join under these two popular ones to also add more jobs for those who need them. As deficient as the
Coronavirus is, it helped the youth get employment because there are job vacancies across the country
that required the youth to be involved to help the virus situation to be in control. One of the programmes
is the Presidential youth employment intervention targeted at the unemployed youth of South Africa and
implemented by Harambee youth employment .In university, there are numerous facilities that people
choose to study from. In whichever facility the youth partakes in, there is a low chance of getting
employment especially when they only have an undergraduate degree because they are regarded to
have little or no experience at all to be able to get the job done correctly. Youth employment is a
constant war where everyone is trying to win, however the competition is massive and it gets harder
each day.In conclusion, youth employment is a serious problem and it needs to be prioritized in this
country so that everyone can have a better chance of survival.

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 Causes of youth unemployment
The main causes that influence youth unemployment include:
• Educational systems
-The quality of education in South Africa is slowly deteriorating, not only is it becoming a factor of unemployment but it is also has
proven not be useful. A large number of people are educated and have high qualifications but cannot put them to good use . This
‘education’ does not promote our youth to aspire to become leaders nor their ability to think productively . It therefore leads to
dropouts , decreased pass rates and high rates of unemployment adding to the existing problem of poverty.
• Slow economic growth
-South Africa has experienced sluggish GDP growth over the years , making it challenging to generate enough job opportunities to
accommodate the growing youth population.
•Domestic issues that fail our youth .
- Leadership in South Africa does not allow the youth to pursue higher employment positions , I.e becoming members of Parliament,
directors of huge companies, ect because of the retirement policies that state that individuals should retire at the age of 60 and older .
This derails the creativity and innovation of the youth and their ability and potential to bring new ideas that will uplift the country.
•Health and well-being
-Physical and mental health can impact a young person’s ability to find and maintain employment. Youth who experience poor mental
health , such as depression or anxiety, are more likely to be unemployed. Additionally , youth who experience physical health
problems , such as chronic illness , disability and albinism are more likely to be unemployed. Research has also shown that lack of
access to social services can also lead to higher rates of unemployment among young people .
•Gender inequality
- Gender inequality can affect the opportunities available to young women . Many young women in developing countries are not able
to pursue education or career opportunities due to cultural and societal norms . This can have a negative impact
on their ability to find work and earn a living. Additionally, gender-based violence can be a barrier to employment
for young women.

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 The impact of youth unemployment on the society

What does Youth unemployment do to society?

- It leads to increased poverty and inequality. When young people are unable to find work, they often struggle to make ends meet and
support themselves and their families. This can lead to a cycle of poverty, where individuals become trapped in a situation of low
income and limited opportunities.
-Youth unemployment contributes to inequality, as young people may not have the same access to resources or opportunities as
those who are employed. This can lead to generational poverty and inequality, which can be difficult to break out of.
- It results in higher crime rates
If someone is unemployed and can’t find work, they may be more likely to turn to crime in order to provide for themselves or their
loved ones. This can be especially true for young people who have limited options and don’t have the same resources as adults.
-Unemployment also leads to feelings of anger, frustration, and despair, which can cause individuals to act out in criminal ways.
Additionally, unemployment can lead to a lack of social support, which can further increase the risk of criminal behavior.
- Youth unemployment also has a negative effect on economic growth in several ways. Unemployment young people are not
contributing to the economy through their labor and income. This means that there is less investment, which can slow down
economic growth. Additionally, the lack of opportunities can lead to a “brain drain”, where skilled young people leave the country to
find better opportunities elsewhere. This further reduces the country’s economic potential and can lead to a decrease in productivity
and innovation. Overall, youth unemployment can be a drag on the economy, preventing it from reaching its full potential
- Decreased level of education and skills. When young people are not working, they are not gaining the valuable experience and
skills that come with a job. This can lead to a lack of skills development and decrease productivity in the future.

Youth unemployment has a number of negative effects on society. However, there can be ways to address this issue.

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Solutions to Youth unemployment
Solutions that can be implemented include:
1.) Government incentives
The government must implement tax incentives and grants for businesses that provide employment and training opportunities
to young people. This will encourage businesses to actively participate in reducing youth unemployment
2.) Creating laws for business that benefit the youth
The government must create a law for business to help in ending youth unemployment. 70% of employment of a business
should be youth, 25% South African citizens and 5% Foreigners. This will help in reducing youth unemployment
3.) Job creation incentives
The government should encourage both public and private sectors to invest in job creation incentives that specifically target the
youth population. This can include infrastructure development, green economy projects and labor-intensive industries
4.) Financial literacy and entrepreneurship
The government and the Department of Education must incorporate financial literacy and entrepreneurship education into the
school curriculum to equip young people with the necessary skills to manage their finances and consider self employment
5.) Retirement Policies
The government should change the Retirement policy of retiring at the age of 60 and above as this hinders the youth of
employment. The maximum limit for retirement is at the age of 50.
6.)Strengthening Career guidance
The government and the Department of Education should implement comprehensive career programs in schools to help
students make informed decisions about their future careers. This can include career counseling, exposure to different
industries and internships
7.) Promoting Local businesses
The Government should encourage the people of South Africa to buy local products.

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 Ways to decrease youth unemployment

There are many strategies for _ending youth unemployment_, but talk is cheap if these strategies
ot implementable. It is critical to equip the youth with the tools and support they need to succeed.
- Starting with ourselves, we can help in many ways to decrease the youth unemployment rate in
ountry. To start off, we must have a concrete and decided goals on what career and path we should take in
uture, we must educate ourselves regarding employment issues and, we must support local businesses
in our country. Through these ways, as the youths and students, we may not be able to completely change
ything but we can help and take part to make changes possible for the better of our country.
- Encourage entrepreneurship. People can start their own businesses and eventually employ other
le. Entrepreneurship is a powerful tool fighting youth unemployment. Entrepreneurship is about creating
e in innovative ways or building solutions in ways that haven’t been done before. Businesses should
urage this kind of thinking by giving their people the space to try new ideas and by providing them with
urces to implement these.The youth might not always be in entrepreneurial roles but having skills that will
d them in good stead will not only benefit the business itself, but also help break the unemployment cycle
e run.
- Population control: The growth of population should be checked in order to solve unemployment
problem. Family planning should be implemented widely and effectively, because smaller families
enables couples to save a higher percentage of their income and invest some of it in education and
infrastructure, leading to increased productivity of the economy, greater employment and higher
incomes, whereas in larger families it will be an opposite of what it is mentioned above.

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 Summary
As we’ve seen , youth unemployment is a complex issue with many
causes and consequences. It is clear that we need to address this issue ,
not only for the sake of the young people affected, but also for the future of
our societies. If Young people can be empowered with opportunities, they
can be key agents for change and development. Let us all work together to
create opportunities for youth , so that they can fulfill their potential and
contribute to a brighter future for us all. As Ellen Johnson Sisleaf once said
“There is no easy fix or youth unemployment. Partnership between the
public and private sectors can make a big difference.” Young people should
be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can
be key agents for development and peace. If however, they are left on
society’s margins, all of us will be impoverished. Let us ensure that all
young people have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives of their
societies.

Thank you!

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 Thank you

8 Investec 2021