Abstract
A combination of inadequate economic growth, along with structural and spatial disparities including urban/rural bias and a lack of investment has resulted in a shortage of employment opportunities, contributing to and a growing population of unemployed individuals. This has particularly impacted a large proportion of the South African population, particularly the youth, leaving them without the necessary skills or opportunities to meaningfully participate in the economy and earn a living. Consequently, the need for government interventions and role of free markets in job creation, and achieving full employment, becomes paramount. Policymakers around the world have been grappling with decisions concerning measures to address unemployment. The ensuing discussions gave rise to the concept of government as the employer of last resort, which was proposed as a means to ensure fair employment outcomes for all.
The thesis presents a qualitative study of young people who participated in the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Social Sector in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality. It highlights participant’s programme experience, their perceptions of its benefits, and the strategies they employ in navigating the labour market to find employment post participation. The thesis further explores the views of young people on pathways to sustainable livelihoods. It draws from informal conversations and interviews with 11 participants to understand their experiences of participating in the labour market.
The findings reveal that only a fraction of the study participants exited the EPWP Social Sector with a skill that could boost their prospects in the labour market. Most of the participants were of a perception that they gained no benefit from their participation in the programme. They highlighted their lack of skills, limited work experience, prohibitive transportation costs, and geographical locations as constraining factors in finding full-time employment. Furthermore, the findings show that while participants feel trapped in unemployment and are at risk of becoming discouraged job seekers they acknowledged that the work experience they received and the networks they managed to build will make a difference in their job search and were grateful to have participated in the programme.
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The thesis concludes that the co-existence of a shortage of skilled labour and a surplus of unskilled labour highlights the need for a policy framework that kick starts economic growth and aligns the characteristics of the labour force with the demands of growing sectors. Future research should focus on training provided by the EPWP, engaging in an analysis of the skills required by the labour market to ensure participants receive targeted and in-demand training, and address the phenomenon of skills mismatch.