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Cape Town - The best way to deal with the worsening youth unemployment situation in South Africa is to introduce a new and expanded apprentice system based on the German model, according to the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Viola Manuel, executive director of the Chamber, said only 7.9% of German youth (aged 15 to 24) were out of work at a time when youth unemployment in the European Union averaged 23%.\
The main reason for this was Germany’s strong apprentice system in which 60% of school leavers signed up for a three-year apprenticeship in a variety of about 350 different trades.
“It is tempting to think that this healthy situation is a product of the German economy which is doing well, but it is more likely that the Germany economy is performing well because of the apprentice system,” Manuel said.
She pointed out that the Polish economy was in better shape, but their youth unemployment rate was 27.5%.
Youth unemployment figures for some other European countries are Spain 53%, Portugal 37%, France 25% and Greece 58%.
In the United Kingdom, where the government is trying to bring back the apprentice system, youth unemployment is at 21%, a few points below the European average.
Manuel said the Chamber was talking to the South African German Chamber of Commerce about the system as well as ways in which to address the failing supply of qualified artisans.
This was being done in consultation with other provincial bodies, including local government.
“In the modern world we need both education and practical training and the apprentice system is the ideal way to combine both," she said.
"It also produces better workers and those who complete the training have better job prospects and they earn more money. This, in turn, improves the productivity of the whole country.”
In the German model, apprentices were paid about a third of the salary earned by qualified workers, but they worked only two or three days a week and spent the remaining days in formal study.
Companies above a certain size were compelled by law to take on apprentices but generally found that the investment paid off.
"A key factor in the German success story was that business had taken an active role in the solution, rather than allowing government to dictate the way forward," said Manuel.
This is something South Africa can learn from and something the Cape Chamber will be advocating in any collaborative initiative it enters into."
Manuel also said it was important to extend the scope of the apprentice system well beyond the traditional trades so that office workers in both the public and private sector could obtain qualifications in a variety of specialist areas.
- Fin24
Viola Manuel, executive director of the Chamber, said only 7.9% of German youth (aged 15 to 24) were out of work at a time when youth unemployment in the European Union averaged 23%.\
The main reason for this was Germany’s strong apprentice system in which 60% of school leavers signed up for a three-year apprenticeship in a variety of about 350 different trades.
“It is tempting to think that this healthy situation is a product of the German economy which is doing well, but it is more likely that the Germany economy is performing well because of the apprentice system,” Manuel said.
She pointed out that the Polish economy was in better shape, but their youth unemployment rate was 27.5%.
Youth unemployment figures for some other European countries are Spain 53%, Portugal 37%, France 25% and Greece 58%.
In the United Kingdom, where the government is trying to bring back the apprentice system, youth unemployment is at 21%, a few points below the European average.
Manuel said the Chamber was talking to the South African German Chamber of Commerce about the system as well as ways in which to address the failing supply of qualified artisans.
This was being done in consultation with other provincial bodies, including local government.
“In the modern world we need both education and practical training and the apprentice system is the ideal way to combine both," she said.
"It also produces better workers and those who complete the training have better job prospects and they earn more money. This, in turn, improves the productivity of the whole country.”
In the German model, apprentices were paid about a third of the salary earned by qualified workers, but they worked only two or three days a week and spent the remaining days in formal study.
Companies above a certain size were compelled by law to take on apprentices but generally found that the investment paid off.
"A key factor in the German success story was that business had taken an active role in the solution, rather than allowing government to dictate the way forward," said Manuel.
This is something South Africa can learn from and something the Cape Chamber will be advocating in any collaborative initiative it enters into."
Manuel also said it was important to extend the scope of the apprentice system well beyond the traditional trades so that office workers in both the public and private sector could obtain qualifications in a variety of specialist areas.
- Fin24
