Youth ‘must be trained in hi-tech skills’ – prof

SKILLS challenges and doubts over the integrity and trustworthiness of institutions pose a challenge to South Africa’s economic growth potential, a seminar at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) has heard.

In a presentation to the seminar, economist and head of the Futures Studies programmes at USB, Professor Andre Roux, said the country needed to suitably equip its young population to find jobs by training them in competitive hi-tech skills.

“We are not producing enough people from our education system who are capable and able to take up jobs in the tertiary sector,” Roux said. “We have a problem situation whereby 60% of adults do not have 12 years of education and for most jobs today; we could argue that 12 years of education is the minimum requirement.”

He noted that South Africa’s global competitiveness had deteriorated since 2012, dropping 20 positions in the last two years.

The director of programmes at the Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute, Ebrahim Fakir, told the forum that the future of institutions in South Africa was at risk as a result of increasing intra-racial inequality before the general elections.

Fakir predicted that the ANC would retain power with a majority. | African News Agency (ANA)