With the 2025 matric results released and schools reopening to welcome the class of 2026, hundreds of thousands of young people face crucial decisions about their future. In this context, CEO of the Kagiso Trust, Mankodi Moitse says the often automatic assumption that university is the only path to success needs to be reviewed.
Mankodi Moitse, CEO of the Kagiso Trust.
Moitse points to the stark reality: nearly three out of every five 15 to 24-year-olds are out of work. “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,” she says.
“For too long we have assumed that everyone should pursue a university degree. As a result, we see 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.
Yet, the economy is seeking 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, and many of these occupations require practical skills.
“The 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.”
Reforms in TVET
Moitse highlights the significant reforms introduced 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 and Training institutions will no longer offer courses for which there is no labour market demand. “If we can develop enough qualifications that serve industry demands, we can guarantee a higher uptake of learners into industry,” says QCTO CEO Vijayen Naidoo.
Another game-changer is that students will only need the appropriate level of mathematics and science to practice their chosen trade. “We want to get people through from learning to earning as soon as possible,” Naidoo adds.
The Kagiso Trust, one of South Africa’s leading development agencies, highlights that vocational training is not limited to traditional trades – it is is playing its part in developing skills needed for the digital economy too. 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 artisanal 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 and for the class of 2026 thinking about their post-school options, Moitse advises: “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 employment. In this country where we face an unemployment crisis, we need to drive 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. “We need to recognise this, invest in it, and guide young people towards the opportunities that exist. This is the way to build human capacity.”
For more information visit: www.kagiso.co.za
