Vocational education training and graduate employability in South Africa: an interlinkage in need of exploration

Abstract

This paper provides a conceptual analysis of how vocational education training (VET) impacts on graduate employability in South Africa. The evolution of attitudes towards developing labour market structures has grown tremendously since 1994. Furthermore, the main focus in the workplace has shifted away from the primary sectors of agriculture and mining towards knowledge-based sectors. This paradigm shift has led to the adoption of demand driven policies by the government that have sought to stimulate employment through training and development. From the analysis two main distinct themes of VET and graduate employability are identified. The first theme highlights how the labour market shapes the different constructs of VET. The second theme identifies the essential graduate attributes that are deemed to be essential for enhancing graduate employability. Specific and concrete recommendations are proposed on how effectively implemented VET enhances graduate employability.