Let’s get real – it’s like the Hunger Games out there.

If you’ve been job hunting, or you’re looking to switch up your career, you know what I’m talking about.

If you don’t have the right degree, or you don’t qualify for one of the jobs that will help you crack R5ook a year, then things are probably looking pretty bleak right now.

Things get even tougher if you’re fresh out of university and you don’t have that coveted work experience that most employers are looking for.

Per City Press, only one out of every five South Africans manages to find a stable job, for longer than three months.

This comes to us from Harambee, a non-profit organisation that recently conducted a survey among 150 000 job seekers, alongside companies’ data made available by the South African Revenue Service (SARS).

The SARS figures show that just 50% of annually registered posts are stable from year to year.

The figures show that permanent employment opportunities are incredibly limited in South Africa and the temporary employment opportunities are also characterised by lower salaries and attract young people with less knowledge and experience.

The data does show that even a little bit of experience can go a long way towards securing a job, so it might be time to get on those internships.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said in the state of the nation address and budget speech respectively, that partnerships with the private sector will play a key role if any progress is to be made in addressing the country’s unemployment problem.

Unemployment remains at an all-time high in South Africa at the moment.

According to Trading Economics, South Africa’s unemployment rate held steady at 29,1 % in the fourth quarter of 2019, unchanged from the previous month’s 11-year high.

Employment increased by 45 thousand to 16.42 million from 16.38 million in the prior period, likely influenced by the festive season. Total employment went up in six of the 10 industries, with the largest increases recorded in community and social services (113 thousand), followed by finance (76 thousand) and transport (36 thousand). Declines were recorded in the trade (-159 thousand), manufacturing (-39 thousand) and utilities (-14 thousand) sectors, as a result of severe power cuts.

Speaking of power cuts, load shedding is back this week.

Stock up on those candles, and download this handy app to stay ahead of the darkness.

[source:citypress&tradingeconomics]