Page 34 - Energize August 2021

VIEWS AND OPINION

Fellowships are key to closing the

gap on SA skills shortages

by Janavi Da Silva, GreenMatter

he latest unemployment figures in South Africa are cause for concern. Among those, the
growing number of graduates who are unable to find jobs in their chosen fields or, in many
Tcases, are employed but not in the field they studied, is telling of an even greater challenge
South Africa faces.
The 2019 Post-School Education and Training Monitoring sheds some light on this issue,
reporting that, between 2010 and 2016, the highest rate of graduations hailed from humanities
fields. The number of graduates in science, engineering and technology, and business management
– some of the main fields suffering from a scarcity of skills in South Africa – trailed behind.
Many students continue to pursue qualifications that don’t offer great employment prospects,
and that has a lot to do with a lack of access to information and opportunity, as well as the need Janavi Da Silva
to encourage interest in other fields.
South Africa’s biodiversity is one of the main sectors suffering from a severe skills shortage, while building sustainable careers for
yet there is a huge need to protect our country’s natural heritage. Nurturing the best minds to themselves. These include project
safeguard the future of the green economy is an important investment, which is why fellowships management, emotional intelligence
are so vital in our field. business etiquette and even lessons on how
Academic fellowships incentivise graduates to pursue further study and contribute value to manage personal finances.
to a particular field. This is often achieved through funding for post-graduate studies, offering Fellowships like these upskill and
mentorship from experienced professionals and access to training and development programmes empower the individual, in addition to
designed to help students build sustainable careers. offering academic guidance and funding,
Jade Moody, who completed the GreenMatter Fellowship programme earlier this year, says that which is not only seen as an investment
being part of a fellowship programme changed her life, both on a personal and professional level. in South African youth, but in the green
“I started out studying hydrology but now, as a result of the support and guidance I received economy too. In this way, South African
through the Fellowship, I’m interning at an environmental company and taking a broader sectors that are suffering from critical skills
environmental approach to my masters. In fact, it was actually through GreenMatter that I got this shortages gain talented, well-equipped,
internship opportunity in the first place,” Jade says. passionate professionals who are properly
Jade’s Fellowship is unique, as participants are supported by dedicated co-ordinators and prepared to become leaders in their
mentors long after the programme comes to an end. Jade was not only able to choose the mentor respective fields, and in time, fill a growing
she was comfortable with and who best aligned with her developmental needs but was also given skills gap in the green economy.
the opportunity to take part in a range of mandatory skills development programmes.
These programmes are intended to equip Fellows with important soft skills to help them Contact GreenMatter, Tel 011 575-4268,
understand and succeed in the workplace in the biodiversity, environmental and water sectors, info@greenmatter.co.za

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