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The effect of career guidance in secondary schools on skills development and sustained economic participation: meaningful employment

This study addresses the persistent gap between education and workforce needs in South Africa, contributing to structural unemployment. Focusing on the role of career guidance in secondary schools, the research examines its impact on skills development and its potential to bridge workforce skills ga...

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Main Author: Ntholeng, Mpho Gift
Other Authors: Piraino, Patrizio
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Graduate School of Business (GSB) 2025
Subjects:
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access_status_str Open Access
author Ntholeng, Mpho Gift
author2 Piraino, Patrizio
author_browse Ntholeng, Mpho Gift
Piraino, Patrizio
author_facet Piraino, Patrizio
Ntholeng, Mpho Gift
author_sort Ntholeng, Mpho Gift
collection Thesis
description This study addresses the persistent gap between education and workforce needs in South Africa, contributing to structural unemployment. Focusing on the role of career guidance in secondary schools, the research examines its impact on skills development and its potential to bridge workforce skills gaps. The study aligns with Meyer's (2017) definition of structural unemployment and emphasises the need for targeted interventions during the secondary school-to-employment transition. The research explores the subject of “The Effect of Career Guidance in Secondary Schools on Skills Development and Sustained Economic Participation: Meaningful Employment." By analysing students' perceptions against labour market realities, the study aims to shed light on the multifaceted relationship between career guidance, skills development, and sustained economic participation. Using an exploratory sequential research design, the study employs interviews, some statistical analysis, and surveys. Qualitative data explores skills development and career guidance phenomena, while quantitative data provides insights into identified relationships. The integrated data analysis, following Sandelowski's (2000) approach, seeks to contribute new knowledge on the impact of career guidance on skills development and its alignment with labour market requirements. The study's findings confirm the crucial role of early and comprehensive career guidance in shaping students' future prospects. It reveals that students from lower quintile schools often lack exposure to various career options, limiting their ability to align their skills and interests with labour market demands. The absence of adequate career guidance contributes significantly to structural unemployment. The study advocates for proactive career guidance starting from grade 9 and underscores the importance of equipping schools with the necessary resources to provide effective career guidance. Ethical considerations included obtaining written consent and securing ethical clearance. This study not only advances theoretical frameworks but also provides practical insights for policymakers, educators, and practitioners to enhance career guidance programs and address the complex challenges of youth unemployment.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher Graduate School of Business (GSB)
publisherStr Graduate School of Business (GSB)
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/40966 The effect of career guidance in secondary schools on skills development and sustained economic participation: meaningful employment Ntholeng, Mpho Gift Piraino, Patrizio Inclusive Innovation Skills Shortages Social Inclusion Unemployment Career Guidance Skills Development This study addresses the persistent gap between education and workforce needs in South Africa, contributing to structural unemployment. Focusing on the role of career guidance in secondary schools, the research examines its impact on skills development and its potential to bridge workforce skills gaps. The study aligns with Meyer's (2017) definition of structural unemployment and emphasises the need for targeted interventions during the secondary school-to-employment transition. The research explores the subject of “The Effect of Career Guidance in Secondary Schools on Skills Development and Sustained Economic Participation: Meaningful Employment." By analysing students' perceptions against labour market realities, the study aims to shed light on the multifaceted relationship between career guidance, skills development, and sustained economic participation. Using an exploratory sequential research design, the study employs interviews, some statistical analysis, and surveys. Qualitative data explores skills development and career guidance phenomena, while quantitative data provides insights into identified relationships. The integrated data analysis, following Sandelowski's (2000) approach, seeks to contribute new knowledge on the impact of career guidance on skills development and its alignment with labour market requirements. The study's findings confirm the crucial role of early and comprehensive career guidance in shaping students' future prospects. It reveals that students from lower quintile schools often lack exposure to various career options, limiting their ability to align their skills and interests with labour market demands. The absence of adequate career guidance contributes significantly to structural unemployment. The study advocates for proactive career guidance starting from grade 9 and underscores the importance of equipping schools with the necessary resources to provide effective career guidance. Ethical considerations included obtaining written consent and securing ethical clearance. This study not only advances theoretical frameworks but also provides practical insights for policymakers, educators, and practitioners to enhance career guidance programs and address the complex challenges of youth unemployment. 2025-02-14T11:23:30Z 2025-02-14T11:23:30Z 2024 2025-02-14T11:13:56Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40966 eng application/pdf Graduate School of Business (GSB) Faculty of Commerce
spellingShingle Inclusive Innovation
Skills Shortages
Social Inclusion
Unemployment
Career Guidance
Skills Development
Ntholeng, Mpho Gift
The effect of career guidance in secondary schools on skills development and sustained economic participation: meaningful employment
thesis_degree_str Master's
title The effect of career guidance in secondary schools on skills development and sustained economic participation: meaningful employment
title_full The effect of career guidance in secondary schools on skills development and sustained economic participation: meaningful employment
title_fullStr The effect of career guidance in secondary schools on skills development and sustained economic participation: meaningful employment
title_full_unstemmed The effect of career guidance in secondary schools on skills development and sustained economic participation: meaningful employment
title_short The effect of career guidance in secondary schools on skills development and sustained economic participation: meaningful employment
title_sort effect of career guidance in secondary schools on skills development and sustained economic participation meaningful employment
topic Inclusive Innovation
Skills Shortages
Social Inclusion
Unemployment
Career Guidance
Skills Development
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40966
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