You’ve got your matric results. Now you’re staring at a gap between where you are and where you want to be.
“According to Statistics SA the numbers are real: 40% of youth aged 15–24 are not in employment, education, or training. Over 100 000 matriculants meeting university requirements couldn’t get placed due to space constraints. But hidden in the statistics is the fact that you have more leverage than any previous generation of South African youth,” says Dr Memuna Williams, founder and CEO of Empowering Sustainable Change.
“You’re among the best-educated on the continent. You’re the most digitally connected. You’re graduating at a time when global conversations at the UN and Davos centre on skills you can build: critical thinking, adaptability, collaboration across differences,” says Williams.
The path is not blocked. It’s just not linear anymore. Here is how you can move forward:
- Map your multiple pathways – Employment isn’t the only route forward. You can pursue: (a) traditional tertiary education (b) entrepreneurship/business creation (c) vocational/technical training (TVET) or local community colleges (d) apprenticeships/learnerships (e) digital freelancing/gig economy (f) creative industries (content creation, design, sports). Most successful careers combine several of these over time.
- Apply to scholarship programs you’ve never heard of or consider accessible tertiary education options – The world is your oyster – Ashesi University (Ghana), African Leadership University (Mauritius/Rwanda), Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Dear Kathy,and emerging Middle East/Asian partnerships actively seek South African talent. Seek private, affordable tertiary education with payment plans. If you go abroad: get a written plan from your institution about how your credential will be recognised when you return.
- Start a “proof of concept” project this month – Don’t wait for permission or capital to start a business. Identify one problem in your community you could address. Spend 30 days testing whether your solution works. Document everything. This builds self-efficacy (belief that your actions create results), and gives you evidence of initiative that employers and funders value more than perfect grades.
- Value your digital skills – Create a simple online presence: LinkedIn profile, portfolio website (free on Wix/WordPress), or YouTube/TikTok channel showing what you’re learning. Employers and scholarship committees search for you online -give them something to find.
- Target industries where Africa is growing – McKinsey and other analysts point to needs in renewable energy, digital infrastructure, agriculture technology, healthcare services, creative industries, and sports management. If your interest aligns with any of these, you’re entering markets with demonstrated growth and investment.
- Find one adult who believes in you – and ask them to connect you – Mentorship isn’t about perfect guidance -it’s about access to networks. Ask: “Who do you know working in [field I’m interested in] who might speak with me for 20 minutes?” One conversation can open doors to internships, learnerships, or business funding.
- Join a community program or volunteer -starting this week – Programs like Junior Achievement, Enactus, YES (Youth Employment Service), Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, or local NGOs provide structure, skills training, and networks while you’re figuring out next steps. The experience itself becomes a credential.
- Learn one skill employers can’t ignore – Identify one technical skill you can build in three months: basic coding (Python/HTML), data analysis (Excel/Google Sheets), digital marketing, graphic design, or video editing. Look into a series of low cost short courses and free courses on Coursera, Khan Academy, YouTube, and Google Digital Skills can get you started. Add it to your digital portfolio immediately.
- If TVET is your path, own it strategically – Technical and vocational training is not a “backup plan”- it’s a direct pathway to employment in high-demand trades: electrical, plumbing, automotive, hospitality, IT support. Research which TVET colleges have employer partnerships and choose programs with guaranteed work placement.
- Build your “small steps portfolio” – Track every action you take: applications submitted, courses completed, projects started, people met. Review monthly. This does two things: shows you that you are moving forward (fights doubt), and becomes the story you tell in interviews about your initiative and adaptability.
“In recent conversations, the air or defence forces or the navy have even been suggested as alternatives that have the potential to instil discipline,” says Williams.
Williams’ challenge to SA’s Class of 2025
Your generation’s opening is happening right now – in digital transformation, green economy transition, and Africa’s demographic advantage. Will you move while the system is still shifting?
Start this week. Track your progress monthly. Adjust based on what you learn.
In 12 months, you’ll be unrecognisable from the person staring at matric results today. Not because everything fell into place, but because you refused to wait for permission to start building.