The current unemployment rate in South Africa is 27,7% – that’s almost a third of the population.
A large portion of the unemployed are in fact graduates, with an overwhelming 60% of graduates remaining unemployed, or being employed in a career that is not in their field of study.
Where does this leave the future of human resources (HR)?
According to Gizelle McIntyre, director at The Institute of People Development (IPD), the first millennial graduates entered the workforce in the summer of 2004, and will continue to do so until 2022.
“It is hoped that providing this generation with better tools to achieve success in the workplace will foster a better future, even in a world that is facing economic, geopolitical and environmental crises,” adds McIntyre.
“However, ‘generation whine’ must forget entitlement and take charge of their own futures for this to be the case. Education may be the vehicle that will take you to success, but hard work is the fuel that will get you there.”
Learning is part of work, and it is essential to maintaining a positive future of HR, bolstering innovation and developing a team that is effective, efficient and profitable. “The world becomes more complex by the day, due to globalisation and continually increasing interconnectivity,” says Mark Orpen, CEO at IPD. “A complex workplace requires more implicit knowledge, driven by employees that are critical thinkers, can analyse situations, solve problems and communicate logically.”
How does this impact on the future of HR? To deliver employable candidates, skills development must contain a component of workplace integrated learning. The need for higher education to continue to strengthen its links with industry and commerce is evident, ensuring the right skills are transferred and that students are aware of the ever-changing needs within their preferred sector.
In recognition of its constant dedication to learning and development (L&D), management training and building a better skilled future workforce, IPD was announced as a 2017 Future of HR Awards Finalist. The Future of HR, in association with Careers24, recognises and promotes the leading lights in the human capital industry. The awards, and the accompanying Future of HR Summit, drew together a host of human capital leaders from CEOs to those pioneering HR technology, over two days of shared knowledge and recognition.
Commenting on IPD’s achievement, Orpen concludes: “Evaluating L&D processes for graduate recruits does not only ensure that these candidates are able to meet the needs of the business they work for, but also those of the economy at large. Building skilled talent requires a strategic approach, but it is essential to putting the future of HR on an upward trajectory. We are proud of the acknowledgement of the efforts that IPD has made to develop the leaders of the future.”
