Science and technology minister Mosibudi Mangena has introduced a database of unemployed science, engineering and technology graduates in response to SA's skills divide.
Speaking at the launch of the Unemployed Science Graduates Database (USGD) yesterday, Mangena said the "considerable skills mismatch" posed a challenge to the country's economic growth and competitiveness.
"It is difficult to speak of unemployed graduates in the same breath as we decry the need to populate our National System of Innovation with skilled youth in the fields of science, engineering and technology," he noted.
Pointing to research conducted by the Human Science Research Council in 2003, Mangena explained it is believed the skills shortage arose from insufficient alignment between higher education programmes and changing labour market demands.
Additionally, the department conducted its own study on unemployed science, engineering and technology (SET) graduates. The aim of this research was to determine the extent and the dynamics of unemployment among science graduates and provide a platform for the development of strategies to mitigate the "recurrence of the problem". This report was presented to the department in February.
However, Mangena said his department has noted that studies have inherent limitations in establishing the finer details of the information required.
"We view the [USGD] as an immediate intervention for obtaining specific information, while the study is anticipated to provide a bigger picture of the situation of this group."
According to the minister, USGD enables the department to continuously gather demographic data on unemployed SET graduates throughout the country. This information will be used to guide the Department of Science and Technology's future interventions in the skills divide.
Multiple stakeholders
The department hopes the database will be used by jobseekers, potential employers, prospective candidates for postgraduate studies, institutions for higher learning and other stakeholders in order to improve the rate of human capital development within SET.
Mangena also urged potential employers to make optimal use of the database to build capacity in their businesses, while working with government and other stakeholders to address the skills shortage and unemployment.
The department declined to reveal how the database will work. However, it said detailed information about graduates will be classified properly and access to the information will be restricted.
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