Summary
This project provides an innovative response to the skills deficit among graduates from
higher education in South Africa – a key constraint to long-run economic growth. The
primary function of this project is to enhance the employability of students and
graduates – developing their research, analytical and project management skills by
training them to conduct consulting projects with socio-economic development
objectives. Furthermore the project will persevere to recruit and train students from
previously disadvantaged communities with the aim of advancing the process of
transformation. This pilot project will pioneer the student-consulting service industry in
South Africa.
Problem Statement
Universally students require stronger and more creative linkages between student life
and the world of work. With regards to the nature of the higher education curriculum in
South Africa there is a calling for greater application and practice in conjunction with a
clear emphasis on economic and social relevance. Moreover in the context of
developing economies, with high levels of unemployment the need for
entrepreneurship training is critical.
Related to the skills deficit in South Africa is the issue of lack of soft skills, as many
employers feel that graduates lack generic soft skills and are not workplace ready. In
an increasingly competitive globalizing economy there exists a growing demand for
new labour market entrants (recent graduates) to possess generic competencies such
as: soft skills (i.e. communication skills), basic management skills, personality
development, problem-solving skills, and information-technology skills. There is an
urgent need to develop innovative mechanisms which will provide recent graduates
and current students with the access to resources and opportunities to develop their
skills – thereby increasing their employability and overall capacity.
Background
The project is formulated on the “Junior Enterprise (JE) Concept.” This acclaimed
European concept is founded on the principle of “learning by doing” and provides a
model whereby students manage a small to medium sized non-profit enterprise and
conduct professional consulting projects for clients (private and public sector). Junior
Enterprises offer university students and graduates the opportunity to add invaluable
practical experience to their theoretical knowledge and develop entrepreneurship
qualities at an early stage.
The JE-concept provides the basic framework with which to adapt and develop an
innovative JE model suitable to the South African socio-economic condition. Therefore
the JE-concept in South Africa will be designed to mobilise the human capital potential
of students to further socio-economic development goals – working towards cultivating
a culture of social entrepreneurship among students from all academic disciplines.
The founders of the South African Junior Enterprise Project are a group of motivated
and talented young MA students from the School of Development Studies (SoDS),
University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Aims
- Create stronger linkages between universities and the world of work
- Provide practical work experience and create employment for students and unemployed graduates
- Provide practical entrepreneurial training and skills development (i.e. project management training and soft skills development)
- Deepen youth participation in development by contracting students to execute projects/studies with socio-economic development objectives
- Pioneer a youth-service industry in South Africa – providing a competitive alternative in the field of consulting Establish youth knowledge networks
- Create sustainable partnerships with stakeholders (public and private sector)
Expected Outcomes
The results of this pilot project and subsequent research study will culminate in the
design of a South African JE model, furthermore providing clear policy
recommendations for government to consider in the advent of implementing this JE
model as a national higher education policy response. Through government’s Joint
Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) intervention, there exists the opportunity
to consider such creative higher education policy responses on a national scale. In
addition this project is partnered by a leading German Junior Enterprise, the Company
Consulting Team e.V. (www.cct-ev.de), exemplifying South African and German youth
in partnership for development.
Prospective Partners
- University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Development Studies (SoDs)
- Embassy of the Republic of South Africa (Germany, Berlin)
- Company Consulting Team e.V. (CCT)
- International Junior Enterprise Networks – JADE (www.jadenet.org)
- BrasilJunior, ShARE
- South African Government – JIPSA Programme
- Umsobomvu Youth Fund
- South African Graduates Development Association (SAGDA)
Project Coordinators
Mr. Kruschen Govender (Director)
Master in Development Studies (School of Development Studies, UKZN)
Tel: 0302 207 3122
Mobile: 0176 6801 4088
Email: teamtossie (at) yahoo.com or govenderk (at) foreign.gov.za
