Creating Scholarship and Journeying through Academia: Reflections and Interpretations from the Field

1989 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 399-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Frost
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Useful Knowledge ◽  
Early Work Experience ◽  
Organizational Science

This autobiographical account describes and analyzes aspects of the life and work of a scholar in organizational science. The author begins the account by discussing his origins and early work experience in South Africa, then focuses on three of his publication projects that exemplify the processes he considers significant to his development as a scholar. In reflecting on his career to date, the author points out themes that may be useful for understanding his and other scholars' experiences. He concludes by criticizing the stifling effects of the pressures universities and journals exert on scholars today, and urges the consideration of alternate ways of creating and pursuing useful knowledge.

Youth high unemployment/unemployability in South Africa: the unemployed graduates' perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zethembe Mseleku
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cooperative Effort ◽  
Content Type ◽  
South African Universities ◽  
Skills Mismatch ◽  
Graduate Unemployment

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore youth graduate unemployment and unemployability as a development problem in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study applied a qualitative research method to elicit the perspectives of youth graduates regarding their unemployment and unemployability. A total of 30 face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with unemployed youth who recently graduated from five South African universities.FindingsThe results indicate that, as youth graduate unemployment increases in South Africa, graduates become hopeless in terms of securing employment. The participants attributed their unemployment to multidimensional factors that include limited demand in the labour market, skills mismatch and lack of work experience.Research limitations/implicationsThis research exclusively focused on graduates from five South African universities; hence, the results of this small qualitative study cannot be generalised to the entire South African population. However, this paper offers important insights that may form the foundation for a nationwide study on a related topic.Originality/valueThis paper presents important insights that influence policy makers, government and other relevant stakeholders to develop alternative solutions to youth graduate unemployment. This paper recommends that government should play a critical role in bridging the gap between higher education and industry in order to address youth graduate unemployment. It also calls for a more cooperative effort between government, higher learning institutions and employers in order to create job opportunities for youth graduates in South Africa.

Climate Change Mainstreaming in Extension Agents Training Curricula: A Case of Mopani and Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-57
Author(s):  
Zafezeka Mbali Zikhali ◽  
Paramu L. Mafongoya ◽  
Maxwell Mudhara ◽  
Obert Jiri
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Information Gap ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Vhembe District

This study assessed the provision of informal training offered by the Limpopo Department of Agriculture, South Africa, to agricultural extension officers (AEOs). The study used surveyed 90 public extension officers purposively sampled. There were statistically significant differences in extension officers’ exposure to climate change between their education levels and in the provision of climate change training between extension officers’ work experience ( P⩽0.05). The study concluded that the majority of AEOs have not been fully exposed to climate information prior to their employment. This suggests that the information gap in Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) stems from the slow mainstreaming and integration of climate change information.

scholarly journals The Effects of Early Work Experience on Young Women's Labor Force Attachment

Social Forces ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 1005-1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Alon ◽  
D. Donahoe ◽  
M. Tienda
Keyword(s):  
Labor Force ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Women's Labor ◽  
Early Work Experience ◽  
Labor Force Attachment

scholarly journals Farm-Workers Perception of Personal Protective Equipment: Case Study in the Lower South Coast, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Nwafor ◽  
Ifeoma Nwafor
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Farm Workers ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
South Coast ◽  
Perceived Ease Of Use ◽  
Lower South

Safety and health issues are growing concerns in the agricultural sector among farm-workers in South Africa. The current health pandemic arising from the corona virus has thrown these issues into the spotlight, and this study explored the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of using personal protective materials among farm-workers in the banana sector. Using a case study of 10 large farms in the lower south coast of South Africa, we utilized descriptive and inferential analysis to identify the demographic composition of farm-workers in the study area, examine their perception of specific personal protective materials, and determine the relationship between demographic characteristics and perception of personal protective materials. Farm-workers in the study area were found to be predominantly single black males aged between 36-55years, with no more than a primary education, with work experience of between 6-10 years and employed as unskilled farm-labourers. Perceived usefulness (83%) and perceived ease of use (79%) for personal protective materials was high. Respondents gender (p=0.012), marital status (p=0.029), level of education (p=0.035) and farm-work experience (p=0.008) were significant, while their age (p=0.057), population group (p=0.160) and work classification (p=0.203) were not found significant in determining perceived usefulness or perceived ease of use. Our study makes valuable contribution to the existing body of knowledge regarding farm-worker safety issues by exploring perception of personal protective materials.

scholarly journals The Changing Benefits of Early Work Experience

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles L. Baum ◽  
Christopher J. Ruhm
Keyword(s):  
Work Experience ◽  
Early Work Experience

Student perspectives on employability development in higher education in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluyomi Susan Pitan ◽  
Colette Muller
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Employability ◽  
South African Universities

PurposeThis study responds to identified challenges of poor work-readiness of many graduates and the inadequate relation between education and work. Through students' perspectives, the study examines the extent to which selected South African universities are supporting their students in developing employability skills and the influence of such employability support on students' enhanced employability.Design/methodology/approachThrough purposive sampling, information was obtained from a sample of 402 final year students at two universities in South Africa. After an exploratory factor analysis, 34 of the 35 items on the questionnaire successfully loaded for further analysis under seven components.FindingsSouth African universities that were analysed are adequately engaging their students with two of the six employability development opportunities (EDOs), while students' engagement with the other four is only to a fair extent. EDOs are found to jointly influence students' employability. The curriculum has the highest influence, followed by personal development planning, career development learning and work experience. Real-world activities and extracurricular activities were not found to influence students' self-perceived employability.Originality/valueBeyond identifying skills that graduates are expected to possess, which dominate the discussion and debate on graduate employability, this study elucidates the role of universities in providing support structures – EDOs – that enable students to establish an appropriate connection between theory and practice. It provides insight into the employability potential of South African universities and increases the universities' awareness of what they can do to ensure the production of work-ready graduates.

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