Yesterday, StatsSA released a new set of figures regarding the state of South African jobs. We take a look at some of the significant numbers that stand out and what they mean for jobseekers.
Unemployment up to 27.7%
Although there was a growth in employment by 144,000 people, the amount of jobseekers trumped this, as an additional 433,000 have entered the labour market. This is the highest unemployment rate observed since September 2003.
Manufacturing Growth
The biggest increase in employment came in the manufacturing industry, where there was an increase in 62,000 jobs. Second was the financial sector with 49,000, followed by Mining at 26,000.
Stay in the Cities
Employment grew in all provinces across the last quarter except in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape. However, the actual unemployment rate grew in all provinces apart from the Northern Cape.
Youth Unemployment
Of the 433 000 people who joined the ranks of the unemployed, approximately 58% were young people aged 15-34 increasing the youth unemployment rate by 1,6 percentage points to 38,6%.
Qualifications
Unemployment rate remained high among those with education level of less than matric at 33,1% which is 5,4 percentage points higher than the national average. While the unemployment rate among graduates remained at 7,3%.
Takeaways for Jobseekers
-Opportunities appear best in manual labour sectors or the financial sector
-You have the best chance of finding work in the bigger cities, so that may mean you have to relocate
-Try and obtain standout qualifications and if you are between 15-34, look at enrolling on youth initiatives such as Harambee.
For the full StatsSA report, click here
