---
title: "What makes graduates employable? South Africa needs universities that prepare young people for work"
description: "As South Africa marks Heritage Month, it is worth considering one of the country’s most important assets for its future: its young people. But ensuring that young South Africans can contribute meaningfully to our economy requires more than celebrating their potential. It requires universities, employers and government to work together to ensure that graduates are equipped to navigate an increasingly competitive world of work."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Sponsored Content"
author: "University of Pretoria"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/university-of-pretoria/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-09-21-what-makes-graduates-employable-south-africa-needs-universities-that-prepare-young-people-for-work/"
published: "2026-09-21T06:00:00"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 713
---

# What makes graduates employable? South Africa needs universities that prepare young people for work

> As South Africa marks Heritage Month, it is worth considering one of the country’s most important assets for its future: its young people. But ensuring that young South Africans can contribute meaningfully to our economy requires more than celebrating their potential. It requires universities, employers and government to work together to ensure that graduates are equipped to navigate an increasingly competitive world of work.

By University of Pretoria · Published 21 September 2026, 08:00 SAST

## Content

Thousands of graduates leave our universities each year, entering a world of work that is uncertain and rapidly evolving. The graduate employment challenges facing our country are significant. But so too are the opportunities.

While a university qualification remains one of the most powerful tools for personal and career advancement, one of the paradoxes in our economy is that graduate unemployment exists alongside skills shortages. Employers frequently report difficulties finding candidates with the combination of professional competence and workplace readiness they seek.

What this emphasises is that preparing students for the world of work requires more than a degree. It compels us to ask: *What makes graduates employable?*

### **UP ranked #1 by employers**

The question of graduate employability is at the heart of our long-term strategy at the University of Pretoria (UP), and we are honoured that the 2027 QS World University Rankings placed [UP first in South Africa for Employer Reputation](https://www.up.ac.za/news/graduates-rated-sas-most-employable-university-ranks-1-employer-reputation). This recognition reflects the confidence employers place in our graduates as workplace-ready.

One of the central pillars of our long-term strategy – called Thrive UP 2038 – is the development of future-fit graduates who are adaptable, socially conscious, entrepreneurial, digitally capable and equipped to thrive in the workplace.

Employability begins on the first day a student arrives on campus – and it is not solely about securing a job. It is about empowering graduates to be employable. This requires a deep understanding of the trends and projections of the current and future world of work, knowing which careers offer high employability, and updating and adapting the academic offering accordingly.

Through active participation of university career services in national and global graduate career networks, the consensus is that the future belongs to graduates who combine strong disciplinary knowledge and technical expertise with ‘power skills’ such as communication, collaborative working ability, digital literacy, critical thinking, problem-solving, self-leadership, relationship-building, initiative, empathy, adaptability and intercultural awareness.

Graduates need to enter the world of work armed with all these skills, and universities and all higher education institutions need to help students develop them while they are studying – by offering relevant extracurricular and curricular modules, programmes and workshops across all faculties.

### **Boosting graduate employability**

Achieving employability requires an entire ecosystem of support that includes the entire community of students, academic and professional staff, researchers, alumni and partners. It requires engagement with employers in all fields as well as government institutions and local and international partners, to create talent pipelines and graduate recruitment initiatives.

Students need opportunities to engage with employers early in their studies to find out how employers assess and recruit graduates. They also need exposure to internships, work-integrated learning, volunteer opportunities, leadership programmes, entrepreneurship initiatives and industry projects. They need support in developing professional networks and understanding workplace expectations. And it is essential to host career fairs for students, to put them in front of employers and recruiters so they can hear first-hand which skills are in demand.

Employers increasingly seek individuals who possess a “global mindset”, with skills that are globally recognised and valued; individuals who embrace continuous learning and are proactive about navigating the complexities of AI. Graduates across disciplines must be comfortable using technology to communicate, collaborate, analyse information and make decisions.

The current and future world of work also increasingly requires entrepreneurial thinking, which is regarded as part of a university education today.

The role of the modern university is not merely to prepare students for their first job, but to equip them for a lifetime of career transitions and reinvention. Universities should prepare students to navigate an increasingly dynamic and uncertain world of work. This means giving students the knowledge, confidence and practical capabilities to transition successfully into meaningful careers, whether as employees, entrepreneurs or creators of new opportunities. Graduates need to be adaptable, innovative and comfortable with continuous learning, while also developing the problem-solving, communication and entrepreneurial skills that will allow them to respond to change rather than be overwhelmed by it.

This might sound like a very tall order, but it is how we operate at UP – to ensure we are at the forefront of graduate employability, contributing to socio-economic development by developing well-rounded, skilled young people who can lead our society. **DM**

*Author: Professor Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria*

![Professor Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/TCPCphD2sn5ideq4wPibYOwbbPs=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/2997/ProfFrancisPetersen_148533.jpg)