Skip to main content

Understanding the non-marketable benefits of apprenticeships in South African enterprises

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Understanding the non-marketable benefits of apprenticeships in South African enterprises
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

ILO

The International Labour Organization is the tripartite U.N. agency that promotes Decent Work through employment, social security, labour standards and social dialogue. Its work on skills development is guided by the conceptual framework on Skills to improve productivity, employment growth, and development agreed in 2008 by representatives of Governments, Employers’ Associations and Workers’ Associations. Research, policy advice, and pilot projects and technical cooperation programmes to apply good practices in different circumstances across its 185 member States aims to boost the employability of workers, the productivity and competitiveness of enterprises, and the inclusiveness of economic growth. The ILO Secretariat in offices in 40 countries works with Ministries of Labour, employers’ organizations, and trade unions to integrate skills development into national and sector development strategies in order to better meet current labour market needs and to prepare for the jobs of the future; to expand access to employment-related training so that youth, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups are better able to acquire skills and secure productive and decent work; and to improve the ability of public employment services to provide career guidance, maintain labour exchange services, and deliver active labour market programmes.For more information regarding the ILO’s work on skills and employability go to: http://www.ilo.org/skills/lang--en/index.htm; for ILO/Cinterfor's Knowledge Management Plarform, see: http://www.oitcinterfor.org

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpILO
Slug
ilo
Topics:

Youth employability

Thumbnail

Globally, nearly 68 million young women and men are looking for and available for work,  and an estimated 123 million young people are working but living in poverty. The number who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) stands at 267 million, a majority of whom are young women. Significantly, young people are three times as likely as adults (25 years and older) to be unemployed.

Skills development is a primary means of enabling young people to make a smooth transition to work. A comprehensive approach is required to integrate young women and men in the labour market, including relevant and quality skills training, labour market information, career guidance and employment services, recognition of prior learning, incorporating entrepreneurship with training and effective skills forecasting. Improved basic education and core work skills are particularly important to enable youth to engage in lifelong learning as well as transition to the labour market. 

Identifier
skpYoEmp
Slug
youth-employability
Knowledge Products:

Case studies and good practices

Case studies that document good practices and illustrate the benefits and lessons learnt of particular approaches or methods in real practice. 

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpCaseStdy
Slug
case-studies-and-good-practices

Research papers

Working papers, reports, and other publications from international organizations, academic institutions and bilateral agencies. Research findings to stimulate informed debate on skills, employment and productivity issues. 

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers
Publication Date:
28 Oct 2019
Skills that Work Project Discussion Paper This report details findings of research on the non-financial or non-marketable returns from apprenticeship training amongst a small sample of South African firms. The report describes the South African apprenticeship system, considers the literature on non-financial returns from apprenticeships and presents the research based on interviews and a survey involving 48 enterprises. The research found there was strong evidence of improved staff retention as a key benefit of apprenticeships to firms and that apprenticeships provide a future talent pipeline of skilled staff. The research found that apprenticeship programmes are seen as a way to reduce the risk associated with employing new staff. There was also some evidence of firms seeing an improved public image as a key benefit along with some evidence of an improved work climate and improved innovation as key benefits of apprenticeships.
Subject Tags:

Access to training

Slug
access-to-training
Identifier
683

Apprenticeships

Slug
apprenticeships
Identifier
639

Skills and training policy

Slug
skills-and-training-policy
Identifier
666

Skills mismatch

Slug
skills-mismatch
Identifier
654

Skills upgrading

Slug
skills-upgrading
Identifier
657

TVET systems

Slug
tvet-systems
Identifier
661

Youth

Slug
youth
Identifier
319
Regions:

Africa

Region Image
Countries and territories: