Mpumalanga premier and TUT team up to tackle graduate unemployment
A proposed agreement between provincial leaders and the TUT Mbombela campus could see 3 000 students gain hands-on work exposure and business support.
Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu met a Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Mbombela Campus delegation on Wednesday, September 9, to discuss youth employment and skills development. The meeting was held at the premier’s office.
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The partnership seeks to create stronger pathways from qualifications to employment. The meeting was attended by members of the Executive Council and the director-general, Maggie Skosana.
Proposal targets practical skills and workplace exposure
Leading the TUT delegation, campus rector Dr Ndiadivha Tempia presented the university’s proposal under the theme ‘From Qualification to Opportunity’, emphasising the need to move beyond issuing qualifications towards ensuring that graduates acquire the practical skills and workplace exposure required to become employable.
The proposed MOU includes work-integrated learning and job-shadowing opportunities for students within provincial departments, municipalities and public entities; short learning programmes and recognition of prior learning opportunities for government officials; support for youth entrepreneurship; and joint applied research to strengthen evidence-based policymaking.
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TUT Mbombela Campus currently serves about 3 000 students across three faculties and 23 qualifications, with around 200 students placed annually for work-integrated learning.
Task team forms to fast-track MOU
Ndlovu welcomed the proposed partnership, but stressed that it must translate into practical and measurable opportunities for young people. He expressed concern about the high rate of graduate unemployment in the province, noting that his engagement earlier on Wednesday with the Mpumalanga Unemployed Youth Graduates structure further highlighted the urgency of addressing the gap between qualifications and employment.
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Ndlovu called for a co-ordinated approach that would expand workplace exposure, strengthen skills development, promote youth entrepreneurship and ultimately contribute to reducing unemployment among young people in Mpumalanga. Both parties agreed to establish a task team to fast-track the finalisation and signing of the MOU, together with a clear implementation framework.
