Evaluating the effectiveness of training programmes in enhancing employability and reducing unemployment in South Africa: a training programmes and employability perspective

Abstract

This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of SETAs in enhancing employability and addressing unemployment in South Africa. Despite SETAs being established two and a half decades ago, to skills the nation and link the unemployed with potential employers, through the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998, unemployment, particularly amongst the youth, keeps on increasing. The study in anchored by the Becker (1964) Human Capital Theory and it explored whether SETA training programmes effectively contribute to improving participants’ employability and how employer involvement influences programme outcomes. The study was grounded in the interpretivist paradigm and qualitative design, seeking to capture rich, contextual insights into the subjective experiences and interpretations of training effectiveness. Semi-structured interviews with 24 participants, including those who have participated in SETA training programmes before, SETA officials, and employer representatives from four selected SETAs, CETA, MerSETA, SASSETA and Services SETA. This study advances the Becker (1964) Human Capital Theory by demonstrating that the relationship between training and employability is not solely determined by individual skill acquisition, but is significantly mediated by several other external factors such as the availability of jobs in the market, institutional efficiency, governance structures, and employer collaboration, and systems to actually track and trace those who have invested in skills acquisition (through participation in training programmes). Becker (1964) Human Capital Theory adopts the view that investment in human capital through education and training directly leads to enhanced productivity and employment outcomes, however, findings from this study reveal that in developing economies such as South Africa, the translation of human capital into economic opportunity is contingent upon systemic and structural conditions. Through the thematic analysis, which was deployed in this study, it was revealed that that SETA training programmes enhance participants’ employability positively, through giving participants practical experience and workplace exposure. Findings also revealed that systematic challenges such as submitting of WSPs from employers for compliance reasons, and weak post-training tracking systems. The involvement of employers in the design of training SETA programmes was also revealed as a vital factor of training programme effectiveness, with collaborative design and implementation leading to more sustainable employability outcomes.

Recommendations advocate for development of tracking and tracing systems which will provide accurate account of the effectiveness of SETA training in addressing unemployment in South Africa. More and meaningful inclusion and participation is also recommended.