FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE EMPLOYABILITY OF HUMAN RESOURCE GRADUATES: A CRITICAL REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17501/2357268X.2025.10101Keywords:
academic institutions, industries, unemployability, human resource graduatesAbstract
South Africa is experiencing growth in its graduate labour force; however, the increasing rate of unemployed graduates, particularly those in the field of human resources, is a concern. Graduate unemployment is problematic because it wastes human capital, which is detrimental to the economy in the long run. This review aims to address critical challenges that Human Resources (HR) graduates face in the labour market by highlighting the gap between academic preparation and industry requirements, emphasizing the need for alignment. A broad literature search was conducted using academic journals and reputable websites. The review followed a systematic and narrative methodology to explore the skills gap between curricula and industry expectations. The results indicate a mismatch between academic skills and industry demands among all graduates; for example, many HR curricula do not adequately cover modern Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS). One key recommendation is that academic institutions conduct regular industry surveys to minimize skills mismatches.
Downloads
References
Akoobhai, B. 2024. Swiss South African Cooperation Initiative (SSACI). Identification of Skills Gaps in South Africa: A Technical Research Report. Produced for the Department of Higher Education and Training as part of the Labour Market Intelligence research programme. Available: https://lmi-research.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/LMI-1-11-C2B-Popular-ID-SkillGapSA-WEB.pdf (Accessed 1 February 2024).
Beretu, T. and Charles, W.P., 2025. An assessment strategy for the employability of HRM graduates in South Africa. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 23, pp.1-8.
Bezuidenhout, M.L., Rudolph, E.C. and Furtak, A.M., 2019. Self-perceived employability attributes of adult learners within an open distance learning environment. Journal of Contemporary Management, 16(1), pp.106-139.
Botha, J.A. and Coetzee, M., 2017. The significance of employee biographics in explaining employability attributes. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 20(1), pp.1-9.
Cheng, M., Adekola, O., Albia, J. and Cai, S., 2022. Employability in higher education: a review of key stakeholders' perspectives. Higher Education Evaluation and Development, 16(1), pp.16-31.
Chweu, G., Schultz, C. and Jordaan, C., 2023. Employability competencies of South African human resource development graduates. South African Journal of Higher Education, 37(4), pp.40-61.
Cloete, N. and Butler-Adam, J., 2012. Rethinking post-school education and skills training. University World News, 22.
Department of Statistics South Africa 2024. Statistics South Africa. https://www.statssa.gov.za > m=24 Accessed 11 March 2024
Griesel, H. and Parker, B., 2009. Graduate attributes: A baseline study on South African graduates from the perspective of employers. Pretoria: Higher Education South Africa.
Harry, T., Chinyamurindi, W.T. and Mjoli, T., 2018. Perceptions of factors that affect employability amongst a sample of final-year students at a rural South African university. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 44(1), pp.1-10.
Hosain, M.S., Mustafi, M.A.A. and Parvin, T., 2021. Factors affecting the employability of private university graduates: an exploratory study on Bangladeshi employers. PSU Research Review, 7(3), pp.163-183.
Ismail, S., 2017. Graduate employability capacities, self-esteem and career adaptability among South African young adults. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 43(1), pp.1-10.
Jackson, D., 2013. The contribution of work-integrated learning to undergraduate employability skill outcomes.
Jowah, L.E. and Beretu, T., 2019. The employability of human resources management graduates from a selected university of technology in the Western Cape, South Africa. Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 35(4), pp.251-266.
Kadhila, N., Shalyefu, R.K. and Shivoro, R.S., 2018. Perspectives on graduate employability attributes for management sciences graduates. South African Journal of Higher Education, 32(1), pp.216-232.
Khatri, M., Duggal, H.K., Thomas, A. and Varma, A., 2025. Increasing digitalization of the workplace: is the workforce ready? Journal of Asia Business Studies, 19(1), pp.182-203.
Kurbanoğlu, S., Boustany, J., Špiranec, S., Grassian, E., Mizrachi, D., Roy, L. and Çakmak, T. eds., 2016. Information literacy: Key to an inclusive society. Springer International Publishing.
Mabunda, N.O. and Frick, L., 2020. Factors that influence the employability of National Certificate (Vocational) graduates: The case of a rural TVET college in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Journal of Vocational, Adult and Continuing Education and Training, 3(1), pp.89-108.
Marais, C. and Janse van Rensburg, C., 2024. Employers' expectations versus experiences on employability of entry-level human resource graduates in a South African context. Journal for New Generation Sciences, 22(2), pp.0000-0002.
Mbanjwa, S.T., beyond the degree: understanding the high graduate unemployment rate in South Africa–a case study on bachelor of applied science in nature conservation graduates–a cross-sectional study. Student’s Journal of Health Research Africa, 6(6): 1 – 10.
Molamu, T.J., 2023. An employability competency model for human resource management (HRM) graduates: exploring HRM professionals’ perspectives (Doctoral dissertation, North-West University (South Africa)).
Mourshed, M., Farrell, D. and Barton, D., 2013. Education to employment: Designing a system that works. Nueva York: Mckinsey center for government.
Mtawa, N., Fongwa, S. and Wilson-Strydom, M., 2021. Enhancing graduate employability attributes and capabilities formation: A service-learning approach. Teaching in Higher Education, 26(5), pp.679-695.
Nguyen, T. T. 2020. Challenges in accessing internships for disadvantaged students in South African universities. Journal of Education and Work, 33(1), 44-59.
Nogqala, A. 2023. Employer expectations of requisite skills of graduates of the master’s in psychology with specialisation in research consultation (marc) graduates. Master of Art in Psychology, University of South Africa.
Ohei, K.N. and Brink, R., 2021. Employability distress: factors affecting ICT graduates’ employability and work integration in the workspace. Research in World Economy, 12(1), pp.138-149.
Paadi, K., 2014. Perceptions on employability skills necessary to enhance human resource management graduates prospects of securing a relevant place in the labour market. European Scientific Journal.
SAQA. 2018. Skills Development and Employability in South Africa: An Overview of Challenges. South African Qualifications Authority.
Statistics South Africa. 2023. Quarterly Labour Force Survey, Q1:2023. Retrieved from http://www.statssa.gov.za
Steurer, M., van der Vaart, L. and Rothmann, S., 2022. Mapping managerial expectations of graduate employability attributes: A scoping review. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 48, p.1990.
Steurer, M., Van der Vaart, L. and Rothmann, S., 2023. Managerial expectations of graduate employability attributes: An empirical study. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 49(1), pp.1-12.
Steurer, M., Van der Vaart, L. and Rothmann, S., 2023. Managerial expectations of graduate employability attributes: An empirical study. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 49(1), pp.1-12.
Tomlinson, M. 2017. Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability. Education + Training, 59(4), 338-352.
Wolhuter, C., de Beer, Z.L., Niemczyk, E., Botha, J., Gore, O., Marimo, A., Neethling, M., Santhakumar, V., Seleti, J., Steyn, H.J. and Taylor, B., 2020. Critical Issues in South African Education: Illumination from international comparative perspectives from the BRICS countries (p. 402). AOSIS.
Yorke, M. 2006. Employability in higher education: What it is – what it is not. Learning and Employability Series 1. York: Higher Education Academy.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Tatenda Chikukwa, Lucia Zithobile
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
