Career pathways and employability challenges of national certificate vocational (<i>NCV</i>) office administration graduates in one of the <i>TVET </i>colleges in Limpopo

Abstract

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.

Keywords: {'name': 'Career destinations, TVET graduates, Office Administration, Graduate employability, National Vocational Certificate'}

Authors & affiliations

Thivhavhudzi Prince Magoloi
Vhembe TVET College

Fhatuwani Ravhuhali
University of Venda

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