By Thapelo Molefe
Gaps between education and employment are leaving many young South Africans struggling to enter the labour market, Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli said on Tuesday, warning that the current system is failing to provide clear pathways into work.
Speaking at the fourth anniversary of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) at the University of the Western Cape, Mhlauli said the transition from education into employment remains one of the weakest points in South Africa’s skills pipeline.
“For too many young people, the transition from education into employment remains uncertain and fragmented,” she said.
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Her remarks highlight a growing concern within government that, despite multiple programmes and interventions, young people continue to fall through the cracks after leaving school, college or university.
Mhlauli said the disconnect between training and labour market demand means that many young people are not equipped with the skills or experience required by employers.
“This includes strengthening the link between training provision and labour market needs, so that young people are not trained for opportunities that do not exist,” she said.
She added that part of the problem lies in the lack of structured pathways that allow young people to move seamlessly between learning and earning.
“We must build systems that allow young people to move more easily between different forms of learning, and between learning and work, without losing momentum or opportunity,” Mhlauli said.
The PYEI was introduced as a coordinated response to youth unemployment, bringing together government, academic institutions and the private sector to create entry points into the labour market through work experience and skills development.
However, Mhlauli said the focus must now shift towards ensuring that these opportunities translate into long-term employment outcomes.
“It is not sufficient to report on how many young people have participated in programmes. The critical question is how many have transitioned into sustained employment,” she said.
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A key intervention identified is the expansion of work-integrated learning, including internships, apprenticeships and workplace-based training, which provide practical experience alongside formal education.
“These experiences are often the bridge between education and employment. Without them, young people struggle to gain entry into the labour market,” she said.
Mhlauli also pointed to fragmentation across programmes as a major barrier, with initiatives often operating in isolation rather than as part of a cohesive system.
“Too often, initiatives operate in isolation, leading to duplication in some areas and gaps in others,” she said, calling for a more coordinated approach across sectors.
Within this framework, she highlighted the role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, saying they could help close the transition gap if better integrated into the broader system.
“TVET colleges have the potential to serve as engines of inclusion,” she said, but added that stronger links with universities and industry are needed to ensure graduates are work-ready.
She said clearer articulation pathways between institutions and closer collaboration with employers would help ensure that training reflects real workplace requirements.
Mhlauli also stressed the importance of adapting the skills system to changes in the global economy, including technological shifts and the rise of digital industries.
“The world of work is undergoing profound change,” she said, warning that many future jobs do not yet exist.
She said this requires a more flexible and responsive system that combines technical skills with foundational capabilities such as literacy, numeracy, problem solving and communication.
At the University of the Western Cape, the PYEI-linked programme has placed 65 graduates into work opportunities over four years, with more than 200 completing internships.
While describing these figures as meaningful, Mhlauli said they highlight the scale of the challenge.
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“While 65 placements are meaningful, they must be seen as a foundation upon which to build something much larger,” she said.
She called for expanded partnerships with employers to create more workplace opportunities and for improved coordination across programmes to scale impact.
In closing, Mhlauli said fixing the transition from education to employment is critical to addressing youth unemployment and unlocking economic growth.
“Programmes and policies are important, but what ultimately matters is whether a young person is able to move from education into work, from work into a career, and from a career into economic security,” she said.
