THIS Youth Month marks 50 years since the brave young people of Soweto marched against the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in schools and against an unequal education system. Their struggle was about dignity, equality and the right to quality education. As we remember their sacrifice, we must also ask ourselves whether today’s youth are truly benefitting from the opportunities they fought for.
When I attended the Quality Council for Traders and Occupations (QCTO) information-sharing session, I realised that many people in rural municipalities still need a clearer understanding of what the QCTO is trying to achieve. One of the key messages was that this transition is aimed at addressing the high unemployment rate among young people.
The QCTO approach focuses on aligning education with the actual needs of industry. Going forward, industries that create jobs will have a greater say in the skills that are developed through TVET colleges and training institutions. For example, if industries know they will need boilermakers, plumbers, cyber-security specialists, furniture makers, or other skilled professionals in the coming years, training programmes should be designed to meet those demands. This will help address skills shortages while creating better employment opportunities for young people. Curriculum development must keep pace with the changing economy. Courses offered by higher learning institutions should reflect the skills employers will need over the next 10 to 20 years. I personally know graduates who have stopped looking for work because the qualifications they obtained are no longer relevant to today’s job market. That is a challenge we cannot continue to ignore.
As chairperson of the Kokstad Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector Association, I have spent years advocating for the importance of technology. Back in 2017, I spoke about artificial intelligence and the use of drones to deliver essential goods and assist in locating missing persons. At the time, many people thought these ideas were unrealistic. Today, drones are widely used across different industries, including security and defence.
In 2022, we developed and presented several innovative applications. Many people struggled to understand their potential at the time, yet similar solutions are now being used in metropolitan municipalities. What concerns me is how relaxed we remain about technological advancement. Look at how rapidly AI is transforming industries today. AI has existed for decades, yet many still behave as though it is something new. The same applies to the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies are already shaping our future, and countries that fail to invest in technology infrastructure risk being left behind. As we mark 50 years since the 1976 uprising, let this not only be a time for speeches and commemorations. Let it be the beginning of a genuine commitment to building a better future for young people. We need real outcomes and real beneficiaries in our economy. We need young people becoming scientists, engineers, pilots, farmers, inventors, manufacturers, technology specialists, and skilled professionals equipped for the demands of a modern economy.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘.
-Zizipho Zizman Nogwaza
