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DESPERATE TIMES, DESPERATE MEASURES

05/07/2024 08:25:00 Editor

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It is good to see His Majesty the King out and about getting first-hand experience of the latest positive developments in the country and, of course, the challenges that persist, such as youth unemployment.

Two young women have used the King’s visits this week to highlight their plight of unemployment and despite attempts to block one of their attempts to be heard, the King ordered that they be given attention. These two represent the around 58 per cent of unemployed youth in this country and amplify the unemployment concerns raised at Sibaya and the call for solutions that work, drawing on experiences from countries that have been successful in addressing this predicament that is perpetuating numerous social ills.

Attributed

There are countries that are getting it right such as Iceland, Japan, the Czech Republic, Germany and South Korea, which have all achieved low unemployment rates ranging from 2.5 to 3.6 per cent according to their government data. This has been attributed to investment in education and skills development: strong business environments, a focus on innovation and technology, active labour market policies and strong social welfare systems. Perhaps we could tap into Japan’s focus on vocational training, which has contributed to its 2.6 per cent unemployment rate (2023). Research on the country reveals that this approach has been achieved through fostering collaborations between vocational institutions and industry stakeholders to align training programmes with industry requirements. Employers play a part in curriculum design to better prepare individuals for job roles in high-demand sectors.

The country also encourages a culture of lifelong learning and skills development among its workforce by offering opportunities for upskilling and reskilling through vocational training programmes. Providing comprehensive career guidance and counselling services has helped young Japanese make informed decisions about their vocational training choices and career pathways. This begs the question: How effective is our career guidance system? To foster successful collaborations, Japan actively involves representatives from various industries in the planning and development of vocational training programmes. They organise industry forums, roundtable discussions and networking events to facilitate dialogue and collaboration between vocational schools and industry partners.

Identify

They also have a comprehensive skills gap analysis to identify the specific needs and requirements of industries. By understanding the current and future skills demands, vocational schools tailor their programmes to address industry gaps and ensure relevance. Establishing more apprenticeship and internship programmes has helped create opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience. I am aware that the UNDP graduate trainee programme has been initiated in Eswatini, which is a good start, but we need more to accommodate the thousands of idle youth.

Another approach that is working for other countries with low unemployment rates is carrying out industry visits and guest lectures in workshops featuring industry professionals to expose students to the latest trends, technologies and practices in their field of study. These interactions help students understand industry expectations and foster relationships with potential employers. Mentors get to share their expertise, offer career advice and facilitate networking opportunities for students. Also, collaborative research projects between vocational schools and industries help drive innovation, knowledge sharing and skills development in these thriving economies.

Another important factor is the formation of industry advisory boards comprising representatives from different sectors to provide important guidance and insights into industry trends, job market demands and emerging skills requirements for countries like Japan. So has partnering with government agencies, private sector organisations and international donors to establish workforce development funds to support vocational schools in upgrading infrastructure, acquiring advanced equipment and implementing industry-relevant initiatives.

Therefore, whatever strategies are put in place to tackle youth unemployment in this country, they must include investing more in education and vocational training programmes, promoting entrepreneurship, diversifying the economy and strengthening social safety nets. Addressing issues like corruption and bureaucracy and adopting a high work ethic are key to this equation if we seriously intend to create a conducive environment for investment to speed up job creation. All these initiatives then need to be properly monitored and evaluated to assess the impact, identify areas for improvement and ensure the sustainability of these efforts.

Cautioned

The first baseline report of the Solutions for Youth Employment (S4YE) Coalition in 2015 cautioned about the threats of youth unemployment. It said: “When young people are not fully participating in the labour force or are not in employment, education, or training (NEETs), governments forgo tax revenue and incur the cost of social safety nets, unemployment benefits insurance and lost productivity. Businesses risk losing a generation of consumers. Social costs are ever-mounting as well.

The Arab Spring and subsequent youth-led uprisings in many countries, along with the rise of economic insurgency and youth extremism, demand that we explore the links between economic participation, inequality, community security, crime and national fragility through a lens focused on youth. What we see is a generation in economic crisis.” The longer it takes to act on the unemployment crisis, the greater the chances we will find ourselves having to deal with not only hundreds of youth running to the King during public tours screaming for jobs, but something much worse that would also most certainly put an end to such tours. We don’t want that, or do we?