The Impact of COVID-19 on Jobs, Skills and Skills Development in South Africa
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
The scale of the COVID-19 pandemic has no equivalent in modern history. The pandemic has tested the economic and social resolve of the economies across the world. It has altered the world of work and accelerated the adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in society, the economy and across sectors. For South Africa to prepare for the future, the changing world of work and learning must be understood in the South African context. An assessment of the pandemic’s implications on jobs, skills and overall skills development is crucial for the economic growth of the country. Skills development and education have always been considered critical in addressing South Africa’s triple challenge of poverty, inequality and unemployment. However, the pandemic also presents a window of opportunity to review existing trends in the economy, development and policy to ensure that present challenges do not become permanent, unsolvable problems in the country. It is therefore important to understand the social and economic context of the pandemic on education, skills and jobs—as a means towards sustainable growth—in an unfolding, dynamic and digital environment. One way for the country to carve a path out of the chaos wrought by the COVID-19 crisis is the pursuit of knowledge-creation in crucial areas of development and economics. This research, through the analysis of recent data, identifies pressure points for the South African economy and skills system. The research also identifies areas of opportunity for responsiveness and the sustainability of jobs, skills and skills development in South Africa given the scale of the social and economic change induced by the 2020 crisis
Description
A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in the field of Governance specialising in Development and Economics to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021
Keywords
COVID-19, PANDEMIC, IMPACT, SKILLS, JOBS, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, UCTD
Citation
Leeuw, Lucinda. (2021). The Impact of COVID-19 on Jobs, Skills and Skills Development in South Africa [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace.