Abstract
South Africa (SA) has a population of 50 million people. Nearly 70% are under 35 years old. The national vision aims to reduce
youth unemployment using education, training and skills development initiatives.
A work integrated learning (WIL) partnership model was developed to build an industry partner base. The model was piloted
in a South African university in 2013 to provide work-ready, qualified and skilled graduates entering the SA economy. Research
conducted focused on whether the WIL model was a viable, cost-effective and practical solution for capacity building of
potential entry-level staff.
This paper presents an analysis of the self-administered questionnaire completed by the students subsequent to their WIL
experience. The background to SA cooperative education and WIL provides the backdrop. The aim of the paper is to reflect on
whether the model contributed to economic and social capacity building and industry partnership development.
This paper adds value on a strategic, theoretical and practical level by contributing to national imperatives for human resource
development, adding to the body of knowledge on WIL initiatives in SA and outlining a user friendly WIL partnership model
to allow students to enter the world of work with confidence.