Addressing the Unemployed Graduate Challenge Through Student Entrepreneurship and Innovation in South Africa's Higher Education

This chapter addresses graduate unemployment through student entrepreneurship in the context of South African higher education. The graduate unemployment rate of South Africa is estimated at 33.5% for the youth (15-24) and 10.2% for those aged 25-34. Unemployed graduate phenomenon as depicted by the FeesMustFall campaign is exacerbated by untransformed curriculum which does not provide students with relevant skills matching the labour demands. In this regard, the chapter argues that student entrepreneurship remains one of the strategies university-based youth or students could not only a space to gain business skills and experience, but also a forum where they can put their creative ideas into income generating projects. The chapter first looks at student entrepreneurship and the challenges faced by tertiary students. Second, it explores the opportunities created through entrepreneurship, the challenges faced by student entrepreneurs, and finally, the support needed to run successful student entrepreneurship.

Survey of Employability Skills Possessed by Undergraduates in Kwara State, Nigeria

Graduate unemployment has been a continual challenge in Nigerian society due to graduates’ inability to meet up with the current expectations of the labour market. These worries have been given serious attention in the present labour market. The employers, school authorities and policymakers continue to emphasize the importance of ‘employability skills’ in order for graduates to be fully equipped in meeting the challenges of an increasingly flexible labour market as these skills are rarely taught in the school. This study surveyed the employability skills possessed by undergraduates in Kwara state, Nigeria while the target population was undergraduates at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the level of employability skills, the perceived factors influencing the employability of undergraduates, the extent of self-development skills and job searching techniques as well as the interview skills possessed by undergraduates. Descriptive research based on survey design was employed. A sample of 353 students were drawn from a population of 4,362 students who participated as respondents. The Survey of Employability Skills of Undergraduates Questionnaire (SESUQ) was used as an instrument for data collection and the instrument's reliability coefficient of 0.82, 0.84, 0.86 and 0.76 were obtained via Cronbach Alpha. Frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were employed for analysis. The results obtained signify that the employability level of undergraduates at the University of Ilorin was at an average level. Among others, a recommendation was made that the University management should, as a matter of urgency, create a graduate employability programme that includes such employability techniques as interview skills, job searching skills, entrepreneurial skills and self-development skills.

Bridging the gap in real estate enterprise: the impact of mentoring on entrepreneurial intentions of real estate students in Nigeria

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of mentoring on real estate students' entrepreneurial intentions with a focus on Nigeria, an emerging African economy. Specifically, the study assessed the influence of mentoring on the entrepreneurial intentions and career preferences of real estate students and analysed the influence of having a real estate mentor on the respondents' perception of the motivators and inhibitors to their entrepreneurial intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a descriptive research approach using closed-ended questionnaires. The study population comprise final year real estate students selected from three federal universities offering Real Estate in southwest Nigeria. Total enumeration was adopted for the study. From a total population of 231 students, a response rate of 69.26%, representing 160 questionnaire were retrieved and found suitable for the analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were employed for data analysis.FindingsThe result shows that the factor structure of the motivators for students who have real estate mentors clustered into four constructs; in order of influence are personal fulfilment/satisfaction, flexibility/financial motives, mentoring/economic influences and personal preferences/prestige and status. Meanwhile, economic/independence, personal preference/fulfilment, financial motives/self-perception and mentoring were the factor clusters influencing intention for real estate enterprise by students who have no real estate mentor. Predominant debacles across both categories of respondents relate to the lack of support and market uncertainty.Practical implicationsThere is a growing body of knowledge exploring the linkages between mentoring and the development of entrepreneurial intentions. However, scant empirical investigations have examined the impact of mentoring on real estate students, especially from the perspectives of emerging markets which are usually characterised by low economic opportunities and where issues of graduate unemployment appear endemic and yet to be appropriately resolved.Originality/valueThis study explores the implications of mentoring on the entrepreneurial intentions of real estate students' from the perspective of an emerging market.

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

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.

Graduates’ Unemployment and Associated Factors in Ethiopia: Analysis of Higher Education Graduates’ Perspectives

Higher education institutions are responsible for providing their graduates with relevant job skills that will allow them to compete in the labour market. With this in mind, the purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with graduate unemployment in Ethiopia. The data were collected, analysed, and interpreted using a quantitative design. Using Cochran’s sampling formula, 359 graduates from five regions were selected as the sources of primary data. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyse the data because it is a good model for computing the interaction between more than two independent and dependent variables. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.947 indicated that the instrument’s reliability is adequate. The study revealed that the independent variables that correlate with graduates’ unemployment are demographic characteristics, curriculum, institutional characteristics, graduate characteristics, and economic and labour market conditions. These findings imply that HEIs and governance bodies should reconsider the sector’s policy and strategic directions in terms of graduates’ employability output. As one of the major improvements, the study also recommends creating an enabling environment for employers to thrive, while higher education institutions adjust their curricula to meet the needs of employers.

Preparedness for paid- and self-employment: perceptions amongst Ekiti State University agricultural students, Nigeria

PurposeGraduate unemployment in agriculture is a serious challenge in Nigeria. Literatures suggest two arguments explaining this. First, the skills possessed by graduates are mostly incompatible with the needs of industries; second, universities produce more graduates than required. Focussing on universities as the source of change to address these two arguments, the purpose of the study was to examine the case of Ekiti State University agricultural faculty. The study investigated students' perspectives regarding their motivations for choosing agriculture over other disciplines, training received in critical thinking, innovation and soft-skills and their courage and willingness to undertake self-employment upon graduation.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a qualitative research design to collect and analyse data from a case study. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews with 42 respondents from amongst the Ekiti State University final year B. Agric agricultural students that totalled 108. Seven of the respondents were purposively selected following recommendations from their lecturers due to their bright academic performances. Others were chosen using convenience sampling.FindingsThe study found that students preferred other science disciplines to agriculture and only ended up studying agriculture out of frustration of not gaining admission into their preferred fields. Students generally denied ever undertaking any training in critical and soft skills either as courses on their own or through the teaching methods adopted in other courses. Respondents generally expressed willingness to undertake self-employment but expressed lack of confidence to do so solely based on their little practical exposure and lack of access to basic resources like finance and land.Research limitations/implicationsOnly agricultural students of Ekiti State University were sampled; hence, the results is not generalisable to other disciplines in the university or to all Universities in Nigeria. Convenience sampling was used because access to all members of the sampled population at the same time was not possible due to different timetables for lectures for the various disciplines and non-readiness of some students to be interviewed for lack of interest or for commitment to other engagements.Practical implicationsThe study practically implied that the theoretical training offered to agricultural students of Ekiti State University needs to be balanced with practical exposure, such that students gain enough confidence to practice what they have learnt upon graduation to earn a living.Social implicationsThe study revealed that there is need for curriculum review for agricultural studies at Ekiti State University in a way that will accommodate relevant practical trainings for students to make them suitable for either hired employment or self-employment upon graduation.Originality/valueThe author hereby declares that this manuscript is the author's own work and it contains, to the best of the author's knowledge, no materials previously published or written by another person. The author has no idea of an in-depth study of this nature that has been done to analyse the gap between the training received by agricultural students in Universities and the skills required to make them capable for hired employment or self-employment upon graduation from universities.

GRADUATE UNEMPLOYMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL PLANNING IN NIGERIA.

The paper investigates the problem of graduate unemployment and its underlying effects on the Nigerian economy vis-à-vis the role of educational planners. It emphasizes that graduate unemployment represents colossal waste in human capital development. The paper outlined some causes of graduate unemployment to include incongruity between the number of graduates and the existing job opportunities, obsolete curriculum, vocational and technical education not inbred in the university, and a poor foundation for entrepreneurship. The paper outlined some consequences of unemployment and presents entrepreneurship education as a panacea to unemployment. The paper noted some strategies required by educational planners to cater for those in the labour market. Some employable skills required at the labour market were also revealed. The paper recommends a commitment to intellectual and attitudinal empowerment through educational planning to engender tenacious self-reliance and egalitarian society in the long run. It also recommends developing a more practical-based programme and prioritizing curriculum reform amongst others to enhance job creation that will promote graduate employability at the Labour market.

Producing work-ready commercial art graduates: stakeholders' perceptions

PurposeGraduate unemployment is widely reported not only in Ghana but also across the globe. The purpose of this study is to examine the relevance of the HND Commercial Art Programme, Graphic Design (CAPGD) option, to the graphic art industry and to determine the work readiness of graduates of HND CAPGD at the world of work.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative, evaluative case study research design was adopted to examine the perspectives of stakeholders of CAPGD. It was a multiple case study, which involved faculty members, graduates and industry-based supervisors. The study was conducted using in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to obtain in-depth interpretations and conclusions that reflected the perceptions of the stakeholders.FindingsThe qualitative results indicate that the existing curriculum, based on the old polytechnic educational system, does not provide adequate practical approach to teaching and learning processes. Hence the majority of graduates lack competencies to meet industry's expectations.Research limitations/implicationsThe key limitation is lack of database on the HND Graphic Design graduates at Takoradi Technical University. This affected the data collection process as the HND Graphic Design graduate participants were not easily accessible, and, as such, much effort and risk were required to contact them. Considering the implication for education policy, the findings propose stakeholders' collaboration to ensure cross fertilization of ideas (Nwajiuba et al., 2020). Hence, a compilation of database could engender further study in this area and thus form the bases of a mixed method approach resulting in in-depth analysis for fresh insights into the study.Originality/valueThe findings provide unique insights into work readiness of Commercial Art graduates, specifically in Ghana, as it seeks to bridge a gap in literature.

Identifying the Gender Differences in Response to Graduate Unemployment: Evidence from Sri Lanka

Employment opportunities are available for graduates from certain disciplines, while for a considerable proportion of the graduates, finding employment has become a problem. Therefore, enhancing the employability of graduates is a challenge faced by the university system of Sri Lanka. This research contains the findings based on economic, social and geographical attributes for gender difference in response to graduate unemployment. A questionnaire was distributed among the graduates of selected two faculties of General Sir John Kotelawala Defense University, Ratmalana. The study aimed to identify the impact of gender on graduate unemployment, causes for the gender differences, and the impact of geographical, social and economic factors in response to each gender. Primary data was collected through the questionnaire. Chi square test was used to determine the individual impact of independent variables towards the dependent variable, and binary logistic regression has been used to determine the collective impact of independent variables towards the dependent variable. The findings suggest that age, father’s education, satisfaction with higher education/ training, job preference, job satisfaction and impact of gender on finding a job (as per the thoughts) have a significant relationship with employability status of the male graduates. Furthermore, academic qualifications, monthly income of families, satisfaction with higher education and the training, job satisfaction and impact of gender of the female graduates (as per their experiences) have a significant relationship with employability status of the female graduates.