In a country with 4,9-million unemployed youth, South Africa’s fixation on degrees as a gateway to meaningful employment is not just outdated but actively holding the economy back.
That is the view of Sandra Pretorius, GM of Afri Training Institute (ATI), who says it is time for corporate South Africa to take a hard look at the mismatch between hiring practices and the realities of the job market.
“Skills-based hiring is not a nice-to-have. It is critical for tackling youth unemployment and building the kind of agile, future-fit workforce businesses actually need,” she says.
According to Pretorius, the problem starts with ingrained recruitment habits. “Too many companies still use qualifications as a shortcut for screening. It is old-school thinking. Just because someone has a degree does not necessarily mean they possess the capabilities to excel in a role. And on the flip side, there are thousands of talented young people with the right attitude and potential who never even get through the door because they do not tick that box.”
She points to her own experience working with clients across sectors, including manufacturing, IT, and business services, where job-readiness often hinges more on adaptability, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence than on a diploma.
“What matters is what someone can do, not what they studied. Give me a young person with curiosity and drive, and I can train them to thrive. They bring fresh thinking precisely because they are not boxed in by theory.”
The HR mindset must change
Pretorius believes the real barrier to change lies in internal policy and culture.
“In many companies, HR still functions like an administrative gatekeeper when it should be sitting at the table with the CEO, shaping workforce strategy. We worked with one client who had chronic staff turnover, and the root cause was rigid hiring criteria. Once we helped them shift to a competency-based model, retention improved almost immediately.”
She argues that recruitment processes need to evolve from transactional tick-box exercises into talent development strategies. “If you recruit based on what people are good at and give them room to grow, they stay. That is what builds long-term capability and reduces talent churn.”
Skills-first hiring is smart business
Beyond the social imperative, Pretorius insists that a skills-first approach makes commercial sense. “You expand your talent pool and fast-track productivity. Additionally, companies often see lower recruitment and onboarding costs. And they unlock innovation, because people from diverse and non-traditional paths bring new ways of thinking.”
She acknowledges that compliance frameworks like B-BBEE can sometimes make hiring feel like a risk-averse exercise, but says that should not stop businesses from rethinking their approach. “There is nothing in our regulatory environment that says you cannot value real skills. It just requires a more intentional strategy.”
Learning must become part of the organisational DNA
A shift to skills-based hiring also demands a shift in workplace culture. “You cannot hire for potential and then leave people to sink or swim,” says Pretorius. “You need to be a learning-based organisation, one where continuous development is built into the day-to-day rhythm of work.”
ATI, which supports businesses with training solutions and learnership models, sees firsthand how impactful structured development can be.
“We recently placed 15 youth in a business administration learnership. Every single one was absorbed into full-time employment. Why? Because they were trained on what the business actually needed.”
ATI’s model includes assessing business needs, sourcing or upskilling the right candidates from a national database of unemployed youth, and building tailored, practical training pathways aligned to workplace demands. Entry into their programmes requires only basic schooling, with placement based on aptitude and motivation.
“You do not need a three-year degree to learn how to show up, collaborate, problem-solve, and deliver. You need a chance, structure and support that is aimed at continuous learning and integration.”
Closing South Africa’s skills gap starts with corporate action
Pretorius says South Africa’s universities are starting to engage more with vocational and practical learning models, but change is slow. “We need stronger partnerships between higher education and business. And we need industry to stand up and say, ‘Here is what we actually need from graduates.’”
She is also calling on companies to reframe how they view internships and junior roles. “Too often, interns are viewed as observers. We need to give them real experience. Even better, let us create bridging programmes that get them ready for what to expect in the workplace.”
When asked to sum up her core message for corporate South Africa, Pretorius is clear: “Help young people build foundational and emerging skills and give them space to evolve with your business. That is how you develop people who will drive innovation, resilience, and growth.
“Degrees still have their place. But if we continue to prioritise credentials over competence, we will keep sidelining the very people who have the potential to transform our economy,” concludes Pretorius.