Understanding Barriers to Accessing Skills Development and Employment for Youth in Argentina and South Africa: Synthesis Report

LOLWANA, PELIWE; NGCWANGU, SIPHELO; JACINTO, CLAUDIA GABRIELA; MILLENAAR, VERÓNICA; MARTÍN, MARÍA EUGENIA

NORRAG

Año: 2015 p. 64

0-0000-0000-0

The study brings together interdisciplinary research perspectives in order to study a critical challengeto both developing and developed countries in the world today: rising youth unemployment resulting inlarge numbers of young people being unable to access employment or skills development. South Africaand Argentina provide a varied context for studying barriers to youth employment and skills since bothcountries are faced with the challenges of pursuing social justice within difficult economic conditions.This study is organized around the notions of People, Policy and Institutions in order to explore theinterconnection between these agencies while understanding Barriers. Increasingly, the problem of youthunemployment has tended to be treated as an individual problem by illustrating the ?skills deficits? ofyoung people rather than taking into account the critical role of public policy and institutions that mediateaccess to skills training and employment. The study is grounded in two sectors ? Wine and Construction.These present a useful context for understanding barriers in the light of structural factors. These twosectors demonstrate similarities in regulation but simultaneously show differences in areas such as therole of trade unions in accessing skills development. The study makes a contribution to the growing bodyof research on youth unemployment and access to skills development in both the academic and policydevelopment literature. Policymakers in both countries will find the report to be a useful resource for policydevelopment and analysis which will inform future planning within the broad arena of youth development.The study is a significant contribution to the literature on international cooperation from a ?South?South?North? perspective, bringing together insights that were submitted to a cross-fertilization process inwhich national, regional and international perspectives were called upon. The three involved organisationsdo hope that the study will demonstrate the innovative capacity of the South?South?North TriangularCooperation. The full country reports are available on the NORRAG website.