Some 10 million South Africans – the younger generation of between 15 and 24 years of age – face the highest barriers to entering the workforce, with unemployment figures significantly outpacing that of older youth.

Recent research by Statistics South Africa showed that half of all those between 15 and 24 were unemployed in 2015. Ten years later, and this number has jumped to 62.4%.

For all youngsters aged 25 to 34, the rate increased from 31.4% to 40.4% over the same period, the agency said. In 2015, the unemployment rate for youth aged 15 to 34 was 36.9%. A decade later, it had jumped 9.2 percentage points.

Stats SA sheds light on a key issue within this crisis, youth with experience outperform youth without experience by a margin of 4 to 1. Initiatives such as experiential learning, apprenticeships, or other forms of exposure to the workplace have far-reaching implications in addressing the scourge of youth unemployment.

However, even after graduating and going through an internship, it’s not guaranteed that the graduates will remain employed. Candidates who were not absorbed by companies during their training go back to the job-seeking pool and encounter challenges of having to meet certain levels of experience to be considered.

In a country grappling with high unemployment rates, companies often use experience even in entry-level positions to narrow down the applicant pool, particularly when faced with a large number of applications.

This approach, motivated by the goal of sifting through extensive applicant pools to identify top-performing candidates, can be disheartening for those stepping into the workforce for the first time. Essentially, demanding experience for entry-level positions creates an obstacle for those who haven’t yet had the chance to acquire it.

Speaking to IOL, Senelwe Mthembu, a researcher from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) working in the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) said in 2025, there was an increase in the proportion of Education, Employment or Training (NEET) youth who have a matric and other qualifications but are still unemployed, meaning higher levels of education don’t always translate to smoother transitions into the labour market.

“While education levels are important, they are insufficient on their own. Furthermore, work experience is a key factor for employers and significantly reduces the odds of being long-term unemployed. So, despite young people actively seeking employment and completing more years of schooling, new entrants are struggling to access the labour market.

“The youth unemployment crisis certainly indicates that first-time job seekers are disadvantaged and face particular challenges in accessing the labour market. We need a better understanding of the skills requirements for these entry-level jobs from the perspective of employers, we need to ensure that the schooling system adequately prepares young people to transition from school to work, that learnerships, apprenticeships and internships are aligned with actual job opportunities and that overall, there is better coordination between the supply and demand side,” she said.

Mthembu said the NEET youth are available to work, want to work and are actively searching for jobs, they are engaging in other livelihood strategies and activities through youth programmes that boost their soft skills.

“Even when young people do all that they can to improve their odds, they face multiple deprivations and barriers such as (income poverty, the high cost of work seeking, care responsibilities, lack of social networks, etc.), and so the entire ecosystem needs to be more supportive and enabling.

“For this reason, the private sector needs to be engaged further and play a more meaningful role in actively recruiting young people. The narrative needs to shift beyond what young people can do, to other stakeholders can do to facilitate narrowing the divide between young job seekers and the job market,” she said.

To bridge the gap, Mthembu said the private sector needs to be more intentional about absorbing young people into stable opportunities beyond the internship period. Meanwhile, the government could also think about supporting more youth involvement in the informal sector while still ensuring that safety nets exist for those participating in less stable livelihood strategies.

On the other hand, Protec CEO, Balan Moodley, said to support the youth to find their way in the face of limited opportunities, people who live or work with youth can help them to find their purpose by working with them through their values, abilities and interests and by encouraging them to make a difference within their communities.

“Whatever can be done to build the confidence and skills of our young people, whatever their level of education, can be done by all – parents, family, teachers, community leaders, organisations, corporates, NPOs and others. It’s possible to inspire and encourage where life has become disheartening; it’s crucial to guide and support, finding avenues for small entrepreneurships or building businesses; and it’s necessary to remind our youth to be curious, to be persistent, and to remember that someone is rooting for them,” he said.

Protec is a non-profit organisation that focuses on addressing critically scarce skills particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

Meanwhile, a two-time graduate who wanted to escape the stress of unemployment, has decided to further her studies by pursuing her honours degree instead of sitting at home, doing nothing.

Simphiwe Mlangeni, 32, is a two-time correctional service management graduate from the Tshwane University of Technology.

“I don’t come from a privileged background; I lost my mom at a very young age. So, when I went to tertiary, I thought I’m taking the right step and this step will at least fix certain areas in my life,” said Mlangeni, who has so far failed to secure employment.

To escape the stress, she is now pursuing her honours degree at the Vaal University of Technology, a decision she took after she realised, she was being overlooked when applying for work opportunities.

“I went back to school to avoid idling around because it’s also stressful. Also, education is never a waste, if this country doesn’t recognise me, at least I stand a chance in other countries that employ ambitious South Africans like me,” she added.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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