Explore publications.

Career trajectories and graduate employment outcomes have been extensively studied across disciplines; however, the post-graduation pathways of National Certificate Vocational (NCV) Office Administration graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions remain under-investigated. This study, grounded in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (ELT), explores the career destinations of NCV Office Administration graduates from a TVET college in Limpopo, South Africa. Adopting a qualitative research design within a constructivist paradigm, data were collected using open-ended questionnaires from 13 purposively sampled graduates. Thematic content analysis revealed a significant misalignment between the skills imparted by the NCV programme and labour market demands. This skills mismatch, exacerbated by limited industry engagement, adversely affects graduate employability. Based on these findings, the study recommends the establishment of a dedicated career guidance unit within the college to support informed programme selection and career planning. Furthermore, it advocates for enhanced collaboration between the college, academic staff, and industry stakeholders to facilitate graduates’ transition into employment. Curriculum development should respond dynamically to empirical insights reflecting current labour market trends. This study contributes to the discourse on improving employability outcomes for NCV Office Administration graduates and identifies avenues for further research.

Recent graduates often struggle to find suitable work, therefore, internships provide them with the skills they need for future employment opportunities. The study explores the nexus between internship programs and graduate skills development and the challenges hindering effective implementation of internship programs. The study used a pragmatic paradigm and convergent parallel design, involving 190 officials and interns from the Limpopo Department of Education Head Office, and analyzed using thematic and descriptive statistics.  The study found that 33% of respondents believe internship programs are hindered by a lack of human and financial resources, with seven major themes including administration, incompetence, attitudes, stipends, and workload. The study demonstrate four main themes: administration, incompetency, lack of resources, interns and mentors attitude, stipend and workload as the main challenges in internship programs. The study revealed that interns can acquire valuable skills and experience that can significantly enhance their chances of securing a job post-internship. This study concludes that internship programs is pivotal for providing skills development for recent graduates to foster their employability in the job market search. This research can be applied in the Limpopo Department of Education and other institutions that provide internship programs, as well as in the field of Public Administration, in terms of policy and personnel functions in making informed policies. This study enhances knowledge in literature review and policy making for Limpopo Department of Education, enhancing officials' and interns' perspectives on internship programs. The study recommends that the LDoE, should be able to have enough to resources provide for all necessary aspects to ensure effective implementation of internship, as well as employ personnel well equipped to train the interns.  By providing resources it is believed that internship programs can run smoothly. However, it is recognized that a potential challenge such as training mentors which will need to be addressed through external interventions.

The ongoing issues of unemployment and inequality in South Africa require a unified approach to improve employability through the development of transversal skills. This project aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8), which advocates for decent work and sustainable economic development. Transversal abilities, including communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptation, are recognised as essential for success at both individual and organisational levels. However, there is a significant lack of research examining the direct economic effects of these talents in the South African environment, especially regarding earnings and employment opportunities. This article investigated the paramount transversal talents, assessed their returns in the labour market, and analysed their importance for workforce development in South Africa. The findings revealed significant disparities in the economic returns linked to various transversal abilities, with high-demand competencies like project management and business strategy yielding the greatest economic advantages. These findings highlight the necessity for focused skill development programs to improve employability and reduce labour market inequalities in South Africa. It offers implementable sanctions for policymakers, employers, and educators, enabling the synchronisation of skill development policies with the evolving demands of the labour market and promoting inclusive economic growth in South Africa.

The study explored the experiences of unemployed graduates at Vleifontein Village Elim in Makhado Local Municipality in Limpopo Province, South Africa. To achieve the mandate of the study, the researcher adopted a unique qualitative research approach, which gathered in-depth data from the participants. This approach, distinct in its focus on understanding the experiences of unemployed graduates, aided in the elevated understanding of the research problem.  The study adopted an exploratory qualitative research design to gather or collect data from the participants, and the researcher used semi-structured interviews consisting of open-ended questions administered face-to-face to observe gestures, emotions, feelings, or even how they react to the questions. Furthermore, purposive sampling was used to select the sample that formed part of the interviews. Additionally, the study adopted the Conflict theory by Karl Marx to integrate with the study. Therefore, the findings of the study deduced that most of the participants understood the meaning of unemployment as their current socio-economic state, both from a financial and psychological perspective. Moreover, on the issue of the challenges, the findings deduced that they are not experienced and skilled enough for the jobs they are applying for. In that light, the study emphasizes the need for increased employment opportunities to minimize the negative impacts faced by unemployed graduates, which includes specialized training of graduates to render services that would make it easier for the graduates to find employment.