Government to launch new recruitment scheme aimed at graduates
The minister of Public Service and Administration (DPSA),
Ayanda Dlodlo, is set to launch the Public Service Graduate
Recruitment Scheme at the University of Johannesburg on
Wednesday (25 July).
The scheme – which is aimed at curbing the high numbers of
graduate unemployment in South Africa – was approved by Cabinet
in December 2017, and will offer new graduates work
opportunities and training in government departments.
“This initiative came to fruition in response to the
recommendation of the National Development Plan (NDP) that in
order to achieve a professional public service, the state needs
to be a career of choice, by attracting the best graduates and
youth with potential to its employment service,” the DPSA said
in a statement.
It added that the graduate recruitment scheme aims to achieve
the following:
- Strengthen the talent pipeline for the Public Service’s
future capacity especially in scarce occupations and critical
areas of service delivery (technical skills and specialist
professions);
- Provide best-practice on existing graduate schemes in the
public service and the principles for implementation across the
public service;
- Enhance the image and competitiveness and prestige of
public employment in the labour market and to improve
professionalism in the public service.
High rate of unemployment
The Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of
2018, showed that South Africa’s unemployment rate has remained
unchanged at 26.7% since the end of 2017.
While these stats point to a ‘stable’ unemployment rate, a
growing concern is the number of young people without jobs in
the country.
STats SA found that the graduate unemployment rate was 33.5%
for those aged between 15–24, and 10.2% among those aged 25–34
years.
However this number decreased significantly among adults (aged
35–64 years) where the unemployment rate is just 4.7% for
graduates.
“When young people are employed in the South African labour
market, their employment intensity is the highest amongst the
Trade, Agriculture, and Finance and other business services
industries,” Stats SA said.
“Low and semi-skilled youth employment is concentrated in the
Trade industry, while high-skilled youth employment is in the
Community and social services as well as Finance and other
business services industries.”
Read: These are your chances of
getting a job after graduating in South Africa
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