Why technical and vocational skills are South Africa’s growth engine

As matric results and the new school year loom, Kagiso Trust urges learners to look beyond degrees and consider skills-based pathways that lead directly to employment

With the 2025 matric results due to be released on 13 January, and the class of 2026 returning to school the following day, hundreds of thousands of young people face crucial decisions about their future. But the automatic assumption that university is the only path to success needs urgent re-examination.

The reality is stark: nearly three out of every five 15 to 24-year-olds are out of work, and Kagiso Trust CEO Mankodi Moitse says it’s time for an honest national conversation about the relationship between education and employment and the pressing need for more technical and vocational skills.

“For too long, we’ve operated under the assumption that everyone should pursue a university degree. The result is unemployed graduates on one hand and critical skills shortages on the other,” she says.

The Department of Higher Education and Training’s latest list of occupations in high demand tells a sobering story: more than half of South African workers are in jobs for which they do not have the correct education level, and a third are in jobs that don’t match their highest qualification.

Meanwhile, the economy is crying out for artisans, technicians and skilled workers. A third of the demand list is made up of vocational occupations at NQF level 5 (one level above matric) and below, many of which require practical skills.

“This mismatch between what we’re training people to do and what the economy actually needs is costing us dearly,” says Moitse. “It’s trapping young people in unemployment while businesses struggle to find the skills they need to grow.”

Revolutionary reforms

Moitse points to significant reforms in the area of technical and vocational training. For example, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) has introduced new qualifications that place greater emphasis on practical skills. Instead of writing four theoretical exams at each level, students now face integrated assessments that simultaneously test theoretical knowledge and practical ability.

Crucially, Technical and Vocational Education Training institutions will no longer offer courses for which there is no labour market demand. “If we can develop enough qualifications that industry demands, we can guarantee a higher uptake of learners into industry,” QCTO CEO Vijayen Naidoo recently explained.

Another game-changer is that students will only need the appropriate level of mathematics and science to practise their chosen trade. “We want to get people through from learning to earning as soon as possible,” Naidoo said.

Kagiso Trust, one of South Africa’s leading development agencies, says vocational training isn’t limited to traditional trades and it is playing its part in developing skills needed for the digital economy. In Limpopo’s Sekhukhune East Education District, the Trust has trained teachers in coding and robotics, established dedicated robotics labs and equipped schools with ICT infrastructure.

It has also lent its support to the Department of Basic Education’s curriculum strengthening programme, which prioritises learning based on skills and projects. 

“Technical vocational education encompasses both traditional artisan skills and cutting-edge digital competencies,” says Moitse. “Whether you’re learning to weld or to code, you’re developing practical skills that lead directly to employment or entrepreneurship.”

A message to matrics

For school-leavers awaiting their results and for the class of 2026 thinking about their post-school options, Moitse has clear advice: “Consider your strengths honestly. Not everyone is suited to academic study and that’s perfectly okay. Research your options thoroughly. Look at what skills are in demand. Remember that vocational skills can lead to better jobs, higher earnings and greater job security than many degrees.”

“Technical and vocational education offers a direct pathway to meaningful employment. In a country with an unemployment crisis, we cannot afford to ignore the skills economy.”

Moitse says Kagiso Trust will continue its advocacy for technical and vocational education throughout 2026, working to break down stigma, highlight success stories and support reforms that align education with economic needs.

“The skills economy is South Africa’s growth engine,” she says. “It’s time we recognised that, invested in it, and guided our young people towards the opportunities that exist. This is the way to Ignite Human Capacity.”