The challenges facing young South Africans in the employment space are not new, but they are trending negatively in many cases. Over the past ten years, youth unemployment has remained persistently high.
According to the latest
Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by Statistics South Africa (Stats
SA) there has been a 9,2 percent increase in the past decade that highlights
deteriorating prospects for millions.
The situation is even more
pronounced among the youngest jobseekers:
For youth aged 15 to 24,
unemployment stood at 50,3% in Q1:2015. A decade later, it has risen to 62,4%.
Among those aged 25 to 34, the rate increased from 31,4% to 40,4% over the same
period.
StatsSA says in the North West
and the Eastern Cape provinces, the plight of unemployed youth deepens into
economic exclusion. The first quarter of 2025 saw North West record a youth
unemployment rate of 58,8%, while only 43% of its young people aged 15–34 were
active in the labour market.
In the Eastern Cape, the picture
is similarly serious. With an unemployment rate of 54,3% and the lowest youth
labour force participation rate nationally at 39,8%, fewer than four in ten
young people are either employed or looking for work.
In terms of gender, and Women
continue to face greater barriers to employment, particularly among the youth.
In Q1:2025, the NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) rate for young
people aged 15–24 stood at 37,1%, with young women (37,5%) slightly more affected
than young men (36,7%). highlighting a persistent gender gap in access to work
and skills development.
Now for many young South
Africans, landing a job is more than just a milestone—it is a crucial step
toward economic independence and inclusion. Yet for millions, this first step
remains out of reach. In the first quarter of 2025 approximately 1,9 million
youth aged 15–34 were classified as discouraged work-seekers (persons who have
given up looking for work), compared to 1,5 million adults aged 35–64. The
figures reveal how young people are especially vulnerable to discouragement,
driven by limited experience and fewer employment opportunities.
Among the 4,8 million
unemployed youth in Q1:2025, 58,7% reported having no previous work experience.
That means nearly six in ten unemployed young people are still waiting for
their first opportunity to enter the job market. Without experience, youth
struggle to get hired—yet without being hired, they cannot gain experience.
This cycle of exclusion continues to fuel long-term unemployment and stalls
skills development at a critical stage of life.
Education continues to play a
pivotal role in determining young people’s employment prospects. Those without
a matric qualification face the steepest uphill climb, with an unemployment
rate of 51,6%—the highest across all education levels. For those who complete
matric, the situation improves marginally, though the unemployment rate remains
high at 47,6%.
According to StatsSA, youth
who obtain vocational or technical training (classified as “Other Tertiary”)
fare somewhat better, with the unemployment rate reduced to 37,3%. The clearest
advantage is seen among university graduates, whose unemployment rate drops
significantly to 23,9%, illustrating the protective effect of higher education
in a tight labour market.
Done by: Mitchum George
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