Matric jobs outlook bleak

Young people will generally find it difficult to be absorbed into the job market

KPMG senior economist Lulu Krugel says most companies still remain cautious about the economic outlook.

"Even though we noticed a pick-up in employment in the third quarter of last year, according to Statistics SA, the labour market is still fragile.

"Therefore, matriculants will have to provide practical experience which will differentiate them from the rest in order to be eligible for consideration for employment," says Krugel.

RMB economist Carmen Nel says the South African economy will have difficulty absorbing new entrants due to the skills mismatch.

She says that SA has a lower skills base relative to a structural economy that is biased towards the services sector.

"We are still shedding jobs on a net basis even though we saw some improvements in employment late last year," she said.

Isaac Matshego, economist at Nedbank, says matriculants require job specific training to improve their employment prospects.