1,720,982 research outputs found
An Exploratory Study Of The Variation In Unemployment Length Of Graduates Of Different Degree Programs
Full text linkThe drive to reduce poverty and unemployment in most developing or newly industrialized countries has many forms, the most common avenue, however, is the provision of education and a resultant expectation of employment. South Africa has in the past decade struggled with the issue of unemployment. Even in the face of very high graduate rates compared to other countries in the region, there is still high unemployment. The most common in South Africa is frictional as opposed to structural. An obvious expectation is that once people have attended tertiary education, getting a job should be easier than those without any education. However, there seems to be a mismatch between the skills required in the workplace and the skills the graduates looking for jobs have. Using data from graduates of one of the big universities in South Africa, the study investigated on the time, graduates take to get a job focusing on graduates from different degree programs. The results show that graduates eventually get employed but differences exist in the waiting period. The results show that of the six degree programs namely Bachelor of Commerce in Economics, BCom Human Resources, Bachelor of Arts Psychology, Bachelor of Education (BEd), Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Law, the law degree graduates have the longest waiting period and the BEd has the shortest waiting period before getting employed. The study, however, showed that all the graduates in the sample were employed. The results also indicated that 58percent of the graduates in the sample were not employed in the field they studied in. The study therefore recommended that to deal with unemployment in general, people should be afforded the opportunity to study for a degree, and that although low paying, BEd provides higher prospects of employment than most other degrees
Career choice and unemployment length: a study of graduates from a South African university
Full text linkGraduate unemployment is especially problematic in a country where much emphasis is placed on furthering academic studies for economic and personal rewards. This article investigates the relationship between career choice and unemployment length among graduates from a South African university. Data were collected by means of a survey questionnaire distributed to graduates in the university's alumni database. An analysis of variance model was estimated and various descriptive analyses and an ordinary least squares regression were employed. The study finds that the specific majors held by graduates not only influence employment status but also the time taken to find employment. Although human resources, industrial psychology, labour relations management, public administration, public management and politics remain the most popular majors, many graduates in these areas have to wait a long time before securing a job. In light of their findings, the authors recommend that university courses should be as practically oriented as possible in order to help graduates in the job market and consequently to make the transition from education to work an easier one. For their part, graduates need to ensure that they make wise and informed career choices. The government needs to put into effect direct interventions that will enhance and augment teaching and learning throughout the educational system, bearing in mind that the choice to study a certain discipline may be affected by many factors, some of which are beyond the control of the student, such as the quality of school education or socio-economic background
The Nexus of food and housing insecurity in South Africa: the case of Bophelong and Sharpeville townships
Full text linkConsidered a human right, housing and food security can be viewed as basic to what defines an individual's well-being and is enshrined in the South African Constitution. In any country, affordable housing and food security are central to development to ensure an adequate healthy lifestyle. What makes the link between housing and food security important is that in a household with inadequate resources, housing and food security can be in a competing relationship and may even involve a trade-off between each other. Furthermore, food insecurity and housing insecurity are important components in poverty reduction policies. In this study, a random sample of 600 households was taken based on a quantitative research method. Two low income neighbourhoods were selected in the Emfuleni Municipal area in Southern Gauteng, South Africa. The relationship between food insecurity and housing insecurity was analysed using different statistical techniques. To measure food insecurity the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) developed by the African Food Security Urban Network (AFSUN) was used, while a housing security measurement scale was developed. The research found that a trade-off exists between housing and food security and, in many cases, food insecurity and housing insecurity exist at the same time. The research established the link between food insecurity, housing insecurity and poverty. Recently, a number of studies focused on food security from an urban perspective, however a limited number of studies focused on housing security, with no focus on the relationship between food and housing insecurity. The findings of this study contribute to the existing body of knowledge on food insecurity, housing insecurity, and the how they can be incorporated in the fight against poverty
Determining the factors that influence female unemployment in a South African township
No full textThis paper analyses the factors that determine female unemployment in Bophelong Township. Factors such as level of education, household size, age, marital status, social grants received and poverty status are used to determine their influence on the employment status of the households of Bophelong Township. A logistic regression model was employed to analyse the possible determinants of female unemployment. The results of the regression indicate that, of the determinants, household size, age, marital status, access to social grants and poverty status were found to be significant determinants of whether one is employed or not.http://www.sosbilko.net/journal_IJSS/arhieves/IJSS_2013_1/Diana_Joan_Viljoen.pd
Coping strategies among the food–insecure household in Malawi, a case of female and male–headed household in south eastern of Malawi
Full text linkFood insecurity remains a serious concern in most developing countries. The fact that so many households are considered to be food insecure makes pertinent the question as to how these households survive. As food is vital for survival, there is always a minimum amount of food that is needed albeit small and within the food insecurity category. Households that are food insecure use different strategies in order to cope with their situation. There are varied coping strategies that can be applied by the head of household to ration or prioritise who should eat what, when and what amount. The study uses a questionnaire to collect data collected from Malawi in the Eastern region of the country which is among the regions that are characterized by food insecurity. The data is used to assess the coping strategies used by different households, and understand what determines the chosen coping strategy for a given household. The results of the statistical analysis showed that, food insecure households employed more coping strategies than the food secure households. The regression results show that gender, location, employment status and income are all significant predictors of household vulnerability. The results also show that female heads of households are more vulnerable than the male counterparts. The study, therefore puts to the fore the need to address gender disparities in the effort to deal with food security, and poverty in general
The Effect of Farm Input Subsidy Program on Food Poverty Dynamics in Malawi
Full text linkAs part of poverty alleviation and reduction of food insecurity in Malawi, the Malawi Government launched the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) in 2005/06. The programme is a continuation and expansion of previous subsidy programmes which were designed for the same purpose as the current subsidy programme. Although evaluation studies show that FISP registered success in its first five years, there has been limited research analysing the effectiveness of the programme. This study purposed to investigate how the programme has contributed to food poverty transition during the period 2010 and 2013. The study adopts a Multinomial Logit Model and uses Integrated Household Panel Survey Data of 2010 and 2013 from national statistical office to measure food poverty dynamics between the two periods. Other variables which are expected to influence food poverty dynamics are also explored. Results show that FISP does not increase chances of moving out of food poverty. Rather, education greatly provides higher chances of moving out of food poverty. Between gender that have the same qualification, men have a greater probability of moving a household out of poverty. It was also found that household size has a negatively relationship with the probability of moving out of food poverty. The study recommends that government should strengthen the monitoring, evaluation and audit systems in order to make the FISP programme effective again.</jats:p
The determinants of employment status of young graduates from a South African University
Full text linkMCom (Economics)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2016.There has been a debate regarding the extent of graduate unemployment in South
Africa and how it has affected the youth. The main focus of this study was therefore
to identify the determinants of employment status among graduates, particularly the
length of unemployment endured by young graduates in South Africa. The focus on
graduates was necessary, given the understanding that once one has a university
degree, the opportunities to get a job are assumed to be high. It was also on the
premise of the substantial resources that are invested in higher education with the
hope of a higher return. The objectives of the study were categorised into theoretical
and empirical. The theoretical objectives were: to define unemployment and
graduate unemployment, review literature on various types of unemployment,
conduct a review on the problem of youth unemployment from a global, regional and
South African perspective, review the trend of graduate unemployment in South
Africa, and evaluate the factors that affect graduate unemployment.
The empirical objectives were: to determine the average time it takes a graduate to
find employment measured in months, assess if the employed graduates are
employed in their fields of study, determine if degree choice plays a significant role in
the employment prospects of graduates and to establish the personal and social
economic factors that determine the employment status of graduates in South Africa.
In achieving these objectives, a quantitative research method was adopted. The
study used 233 questionnaires collected via an online survey that was circulated to
the alumni database of the university in question. The study employed descriptive,
cross tabulation and a regression analysis to achieve the set empirical objectives.
The study had a well-balanced gender distribution with females making up 58% of
the sample and males 42%. The average time it took graduates in the sample to find
employment after graduation was seven months. Further analysis revealed that out
of the graduates that were employed, more than 70% were employed in their fields
of study with about 27% in jobs that they did not study for. Additional analysis to
determine the state of the graduate’s current job showed that many of them were in
jobs below their desired field, suggesting a problem of under-employment.
The results from the regression analysis indicated that age, race, field of study,
major module and job searching skills were significant predictors of unemployment
length. Religion, gender, and marital status were not significant in this regard. The
study indicated that 11.2% of the surveyed graduates were unemployed and the
majority were between the age of 21 and 24, implying that young graduates are
more likely to be unemployed than their older counterparts. Many of those who were
unemployed had qualifications in Humanities with majors in the arts subjects. The
average job waiting period was also found to be the highest for graduates with these
arts majors. An analysis was also done on the perceptions about graduate unemployment. The results showed that surveyed graduates perceived the lack of job market information, lack of job experience and not having political connections as some of the factors that influence graduate unemployment. In contrast, age, race, self-confidence and higher education institution attended were perceived as factors not having any influence on unemployment among graduates.
The study therefore concluded that the most important factors affecting graduate
unemployment are qualifications and majors held by graduates, which seem not to
be aligned with labour market requirements. This provides an opportunity for higher
education institutions to collaborate with the government and private sector to bridge
the gap that exists in academia and the world of work. Further analysis can be done
on a broader scale by increasing the sample size and doing the same study at
several universities in Gauteng.Master
Education and poverty linkage in Malawi: A district level analysis
Full text linkThe need to reduce poverty in all its forms remains a priority around the world. The fact that countries with higher incidences of growth have an associated reduction in poverty levels is uncontested both in theory and in empirical findings. The channels through which growth results into poverty reduction are not clear. This study looks at education as a channel through which economic growth and poverty reduction are linked. Using data on districts in Malawi, we estimate a regression with the headcount poverty as a dependent variable and education at different levels as independent variables. The results show that there is a significant relationship between education qualification and poverty reduction at district level in Malawi. MSCE qualification has the highest coefficient, meaning that policies that would encourage attaining an MSCE (O-level equivalent) would have a more significant impact on poverty reduction than just attaining primary level qualificationhttp://www.mcser.org/journal/index.php/mjss/article/view/1594/1603http://dx.doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n14p21
Determinants of housing insecurity in a low income South African township
Full text linkThe campaign to end poverty by 2030, as advocated by the World Bank, has multifaceted components. Food security and abject poverty have received more attention; however, little attention has been focused on housing insecurity. This is important, especially given the fact that it is widely acknowledged that housing satiates an essential human need for physical security, dignity and prosperity, among other things. Housing, for some time, has been observed as crucial to individual and family functioning. As indicated by organisations such as the United Nations Habitat, the importance of appropriate housing is explained by the fact that safe housing is seen as a basic need among other needs such as food, all of which are regarded as central components of the security of ordinary households, particularly in developing countries. In 2015, more than 1.5 billion people in the world were living in housing that was unsafe and inadequate, while in the meantime, millions experienced eviction from their homes every year, with at least 100 million people becoming homeless on any given day. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand what determines housing insecurity. The study aims to investigate factors that determines housing insecurity. Using data collected from Sharpeville and Bophelong, two low income townships in South Africa that are particularly vulnerable to housing insecurity, the study employs a multinomial logistic regression to investigate the effects of head of household and the general household characteristics on housing insecurity. The results of the regression analysis show that income, gender, number of people in the household and the amount paid to bond or rent are significant predictors of housing insecurity. Contentious issues like access to land and job opportunities are areas of further study in understanding the multifaceted phenomenon of housing insecurity
A Comparative study of coping strategies used by food secure and food insecure households
No full textFood security has become a priority in many developing countries and is considered a fundamental human right. Food security can be defined as "when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life". The recent focus on food insecurity shifted to access, vulnerability and sustainability of food in an urban context. In this context, the use of coping strategies to overcome food insecurity can be seen as a measure of food insecurity and the associated vulnerability towards food insecurity. The question that arises is: To what extent does the coping strategies used by food secure households differ from the coping strategies used by food insecure households? A quantitative research method was employed whereby a stratified random sample of 600 households was taken from two low-income areas in South Africa. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) was used to determine the food security status of households and the Coping Strategies Index (CSI) was used to determine the coping strategies used by the food secure and food insecure households. Different statistical techniques were used to compare the food secure and food insecure households with regard to coping strategies used. The study found that the use of coping strategies increases as households move from food secure to severely food insecure. The study indicated that there should be policies that deal with the vulnerability of certain groups
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