We need to shift youths’ mindsets from seeking jobs to creating marketable opportunities for themselves.
Lindiwe Matlali,CE
- To address youth unemployment, we need to shift youths’ efforts from seeking jobs to creating marketable opportunities for themselves.
- Integrating entrepreneurship and innovation into education is key.
- Business incubation centres and government support can drive market-creating innovation.
The lack of employment opportunities is a serious concern all over the world, but the situation in Africa has been considerably worse. With over 140 million unemployed youth (between 15 and 35 years of age), it is no wonder African industries and economies are in worse shape than they were a few decades ago.
With the emergence of COVID-19, the dire situation in Africa only got worse. Layoffs and reductions in work hours served as a wake-up call for the entire continent.