science graduates
29 May 2007
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has launched a database that
is aimed at quantifying and monitoring the levels of unemployment amongst
science, engineering and technology (SET) graduates in South Africa. This is
aimed at addressing the challenge of unemployment amongst graduates in this
sector.
The Database Management System (DMS) of unemployed SET graduates was
launched by the Minister of Science and Technology, Mosibudi Mangena, at the
CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, earlier today.
The database will be used by job seekers, potential employers, prospective
candidates for postgraduate studies, institutions for higher learning and other
stakeholders in order to improve the rate of human capital development,
especially in science, engineering and technology.
Minister Mangena said there is a considerable skills mismatch in South
Africa which poses a challenge to the country's economic growth and
competitiveness. "I have no doubt that what we are engaged in today is a
necessary step in the right direction to begin close the gap between the skills
shortage and a mismatch in this regard," said Minister Mangena.
Minister Mangena also made a special appeal to potential employers to make
optimal use of the database in order to build capacity in their businesses
while working with government and other stakeholders to address the skills
shortage and unemployment.
The Human Resource Development Review of 2003, released by the Human Science
Research Council (HSRC) reported a shortage of professional skills, especially
in the engineering field. Minister Mangena said that according to this report:
"a skills shortage was created as a result of insufficient alignment between
the programmes in the Higher Education System and the changing labour market
demand."
This is why the DST identified the need to review the situation of
unemployed science graduates. As a result, the database follows a study on
unemployed SET graduates that determined the extent of and the dynamics
relating to unemployment amongst graduates in this sector.
The objective of the database is to continuously gather demographic data on
unemployed SET graduates throughout the country. Information from this database
will in turn inform future interventions by the DST on specific areas that need
improvement in this regard.
The database as well as initiatives such as the DST internship programmes
that are aimed at addressing human resources and skills development challenges
faced by the country, also have significance in attaining the objectives of the
Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa).
The South African Graduate Development Association (SAGDA), a
non�governmental organisation involved in the empowerment of unemployed
graduates will manage the database on behalf of the DST.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of SAGDA, Mr Vukile Nkabinde, "The
science, engineering and technology sector is the cornerstone for the economic
revolution of the country and in no way as a society can we allow such skills
to go to waste."
Through partnership with the Umsombovu Youth Fund (UYF), SAGDA reaches out
to unemployed SET graduates in all the provinces through Youth Advisory Centres
(YAC), a service delivery channel of UYF.
By registering their names in the database, unemployed SET graduates are
provided with an opportunity to link up with the relevant industry and labour
markets.
Graduates can register online by logging onto the SAGDA website (http://www.sagda.org.za). For those that do not
have access to the Internet, graduates can fill in manual registration forms
and send it to SAGDA by fax or post.
For media enquiries contact:
Ms Celeste Tema
Cell: 083 399 0765
E-mail: celeste.tema@dst.gov.za
For more information about the database, contact:
Ms Mokgadi Madiga
Cell: 082 944 0036
E-mail: mokgadi.madiga@dst.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
29 May 2007
