Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Nomusa Dube-Ncube has urged the Matric Class of 2026 to pursue careers aligned with the changing world of work, highlighting opportunities in technology, renewable energy, infrastructure, healthcare and agriculture.
Dube-Ncube made the call during an annual mass prayer for Grade 12 learners in Pietermaritzburg, uMgungundlovu District.
The Mass Prayer, held on Thursday, brought together a range of stakeholders, each with a critical role in preparing the Class of 2026 for their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations and the transition beyond.
Addressing about 3 000 Grade 12 learners, Dube-Ncube stressed the importance for young people to make an informed decisions about their post-school studies to improve their employment prospects.
She noted the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, which found that 170 million new jobs will be created globally by 2030, while 92 million jobs will disappear, resulting in a net gain of 78 million jobs.
“Think about that. The world is not running out of work. It is changing the kind of work it needs,” Dube-Ncube said.
The report also highlighted the jobs growing demand for big data specialists, financial technology engineers, artificial intelligence and machine learning specialists, software developers, cybersecurity specialists, renewable energy engineers, and environmental engineers.
Dube-Ncube encouraged learners to consider technical and artisan careers, saying the future of work will increasingly require a combination of practical skills and technological knowledge.
“The trade your grandfather practised with his hands is now practised with his hands and a tablet. The artisan of the future is also a technologist,” she said.
The Deputy Minister also noted South Africa’s participation at the recent 48th WorldSkills International Competition in Shanghai, China, where 29 young competitors represented the country across 27 skills categories.
She highlighted Matthew Bowen’s silver medal in Aircraft Maintenance, where he was named Best of Nation, as an example of the opportunities available to young people trained in the country’s skills development system.
The Deputy Minister emphasised the significant role to play by technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges in preparing young people for the changing labour market.
She cited uMgungundlovu TVET College’s programmes in electrical engineering and solar photovoltaic installation as examples of training opportunities aligned with the country’s energy needs.
Dube-Ncube urged learners not to regard TVET colleges as a second choice to universities, but as an important pathway to employment and economic participation.
She also encouraged learners to strengthen their Mathematics and Physical Sciences performance, noting that these subjects opened doors to many science, engineering and technology-related careers.
She referred to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey by Statistics South Africa, which revealed that youth unemployment rate reached 47.4% in the second quarter of 2026, with about five million young people aged between 15 and 34 looking for work without success.
She said part of the challenge is the mismatch between qualifications pursued by young people and the skills employers needed.
“The choice you make about what to study is one of the most important economic decisions you will ever make. Choose with information, not with rumours,” she advised learners. – SAnews.gov.za
