The government has launched a new strategic plan to align education and skill development with the demands of a technology-driven economy and tackle high unemployment.
Vice President Paul Mashatile said rapid changes in the way people learn and work, driven by technology, changing demographics and economic pressures, require a renewed focus on skills and human development.
Speaking at the 5th Human Resources Development Council (HRDC) summit in Johannesburg on Thursday, he said South Africa must rethink both job skills and broader human development to respond to a changing world.
The strategy identifies four catalytic goals with the potential to unlock system-wide impact:
- Improving early education and schooling outcomes, recognizing that foundational capabilities determine life chances.
- Improving the employability of young people who are not in employment, education or training, particularly through short courses, work-based learning and entrepreneurship.
- Increase post responsiveness–Schooling and training systems, particularly for the skills demanded by green, digital and care economies.
- Building a capable, ethical and developmental state, without which no reform can be sustained.
“Together, these catalytic goals are designed to trigger system-wide impact, ignite renewal, and ensure our people live and work with dignity in a changing world.
The Vice President said, “South Africa does not suffer from a lack of plans. Our weakness lies in implementation gaps, weak coordination and uneven ownership, which hinders the effectiveness of existing plans and prevents us from achieving our development goals.”
The summit marked the launch of the reimagined Human Resource Development Strategy (HRD Strategy) 2025-2035 and its implementation framework, the Master Skills Plan (MSP) 2025-2030.
The strategies aim to improve the country's skill development system, reduce unemployment and better link education with economic needs.
“The Strategy and the MSP are clear; they are living instruments, and their custodians will be held accountable over the next decade. These instruments will guide and energize our collective efforts to advance human resource development in the coming decade.
Mashatile appealed to the Human Resources Development Council, supported by its Secretariat and Standing Committees, to now intensify its role as convener, monitor and problem-solver.–Solver.
“We need to get the work done without delay. The report should help the Council address barriers, leverage partnerships and demonstrate real progress on the ground. The idea of living and working in a changing world is about agency.
“This is about ensuring that South Africans, especially the youth, are not passive victims of change, but active creators of their future. Our responsibility is to keep pathways to development open, relevant and respectful,” said the Vice President.
He emphasized that today's dynamic and uncertain world increasingly depends on human and social capabilities such as analytical thinking, communication, creativity, collaboration, flexibility and adaptability.
“Automation and AI are transforming industries at a pace that often exceeds the ability of education and training systems to respond, leading to a widening skills gap that threatens workforce readiness and economic stability.
“At the same time, South Africa’s young population is reshaping workplace culture and expectations, while climate change is redefining how and where people live, learn and earn, requiring a shift in educational approaches to better prepare individuals for these emerging challenges,” the Vice President said.
He pointed out that in this environment, technical ability alone is not enough.
“Ethical leadership, critical thinking and social capabilities are now equally essential. Therefore, our challenge is not just skill alignment but also capacity expansion.
“Recent labor force data provides modest encouragement, but it also reveals a grim truth. Millions of discouraged work seekers, especially young people, are completely disconnected from the labor market. For them, exclusion from work represents not only economic loss, but also a loss of dignity, purpose, and hope,” the Vice President said. – sanews.gov.za