The employability of human resources management graduates from a selected University of Technology in the Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

Universities have been producing graduates at a fairly fast rate, yet the cry for technical expertise and educated graduates. Thousands of university graduates are not employed, or they end up in industries and places that have nothing to do with their education and or qualifications. Too often the unemployed graduates they owe money loaned for studies which they are not able to repay because they are essentially unemployable, the may be because of a stagnated economic growth thereby a general high level of unemployment. The levels of entrepreneurial activities have remained low and there are no expectations of a sudden turn around for the economy. The researcher looks at one aspect of the graduate studies, specifically human resources management qualifications offered by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in the Western Cape South Africa from the period 2014 to 2017. The research was largely descriptive and partially exploratory which resulted in the use of an assorted method approach (qualitative and quantitative). The research focuses mainly on the activities of those employed as Human Resource practitioners and the expectations at their work stations. Together with this the respondents gave extra detail on what is expected of them together with duties frequently performed. Based on this, the data was captured and analysed for similarities of expectations from more than 50 organisations. The findings indicate that there is a serious disjuncture between what is taught in the class and what the industry practices and expects. Recommendations of the ideal course structure are added to the findings to enable institutions of higher learning to adjust their curricula in line with industry needs.