Employability of development studies graduates under the fourth industrial revolution

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) will not only affect the economic and educational spheres but also the social fibre of our communities. This calls for a concerted effort to ensure that the country and its people are ready to exploit the opportunities that the 4IR has brought. This paper aims to highlight the employability of Development Studies students who graduated from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) between 2019 and 2021 in the middle of the 4IR. The study adopted an explanatory sequential design, which combines quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Web-based questionnaires and interviews were conducted, which revealed that participants felt underprepared for the workplace, lacking an understanding of 4IR and the necessary employability skills required by the 4IR. Some participants acknowledged that while 4IR is transformative, it still requires human input and intelligence, raising a human-machine interface debate. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyse quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The study revealed that it is evident that for any country to make a smooth landing as far as 4IR is concerned, all stakeholders (educational institutions, industry, government, students, the SETAs, training providers, and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)) need to work together to be able to unlock all the opportunities, including workplace learning or internships, and to re-design a fit-for-purpose curriculum. The 4IR has transformed industries, societies, and the way we live and relate to one another. Knowing the aspirations, experiences, and readiness of the Development Studies graduates with regard to the 4IR is critical; hence, this study explored the graduates’ state of preparedness and the opportunities available in the labour market. The research significantly contributes to the fields of Development Studies and 4IR, bringing awareness regarding the implications of 4IR for graduates' future employment, unpacking the role of 4IR in development work, and serving as a guideline for higher education institutions seeking to prepare Development Studies graduates for future employability

Diphetogo tsa Bone tsa Thekenoloji (4IR) ga di ne di ama fela maphata a ikonomi le a thuto, mme di tlaa ama gape botshelo jwa baagi mo loagong. Seno se tlhoka gore go nne le maiteko a a rulaganeng a go netefatsa gore naga le baagi ba yone ba siametse go ka dirisa ditšhono tse di tlisitsweng ke 4IR. Pampiri eno e ikaelela go tlhagisa kgonagalo ya go thapega ga baithuti ba Dithuto tsa Tlhabololo ba ba alogileng kwa Yunibesithi ya Johannesburg (UJ). Thutopatlisiso e tsere thadiso e e tlhalosang tatelano ya ditiragolo, e e tlhakanyang mmeo wa patlisiso wa khwanthitatifi le wa khwalitetifi. Go dirilwe mebotsolotso le dikopanotherisano tsa seranyane, mme di senotse gore batsayakarolo ba ikutlwa ba sa siamela mafelotiro, ba sa tlhaloganye 4IR mme gape ba se na dikgono tse di tlhokegang tsa go ka thapega tse di tlhokegang malebana le 4IR. Batsayakarolo ba bangwe ba dumela gore le fa 4IR e fetola, e sa ntse e tlhoka tsenyo le botlhale jwa batho, mme e baka dikganetsano tsa batho kgatlhanong le metšhini. Go dirisitswe tokololo ya dipalopalo tse di tlhalosang go lokolola datha ya khwanthitatifi mme go dirisitswe tokololo ya merero go lokolola datha ya khwalitatifi. Thutopatlisiso e senotse gore go a bonala gore, gore naga epe fela e tsene bobebe mo mererong ya 4IR, baamegi botlhe (ditheo tsa thuto, madirelo, puso, baithuti, diSETA, batlamedi ba katiso le Lekgotla la Boleng la Ditiro (QCTO)) ba tshwanetse go dira mmogo gore ba kgone go bulela ditšhono tsotlhe, go akarediwa go ithutela tirong, le go thala sešwa kharikhulamo e e maleba. 4IR e fetotse madirelo, baagi, le tsela e re tshelang le go amana ka gone. Go itse dikeletso, maitemogelo, le go siama ga dialogane tsa Dithuto tsa Tlhabololo malebana le 4IR go botlhokwa; ke ka moo thutopatlisiso eno e tlhotlhomisitseng seemo sa dialogane sa go siama le ditšhono tse di gone mo mmarakeng wa ditiro. Patlisiso e tshwaela mo maphateng a Dithuto tsa Tlhabololo le 4IR mme e tlisa temoso malebana le bokao jwa 4IR mo go thapegeng ga dialogane mo isagong, e atolosa seabe sa 4IR mo tirong ya tlhabololo, mme gape e le kaedi ya ditheo tsa thuto e kgolwane tse di batlang go siamisetsa dialogane tsa Dithuto tsa Tlhabololo go thapega.

Lebakanako la Tšhomišo ya Metšhene go dira Mešomo (4IR) le ka se ame fela maemo a tša ekonomi le a thuto fela eupša le tla ama gape seemo sa tša leago go ditšhaba tša rena. Se se ipiletša go matsapa ao a tseneletšego go netefatša gore naga ye le batho ba yona ba lokile go diriša dibaka a tšeo 4IR e di tlišitšego. Pampiri ye e ikemišeditše go ahlaahla go thwalega ga baithuti ba Dithutamahlale tša Tlhabollo bao ba phethilego dithuto tša bona ka Yunibesithing ya Johannesburg (UJ) magareng ga 2019 le 2021 mabapi le phethagatšo ya 4IR. Dinyakišišo tše di dirišitše tlhamo ya tatelano ya tlhalošo, yeo e kopanyago mekgwa ya dinyakišišo ya bontši le ya boleng. Dipotšišonyakišišo tše di theilwego go wepsaete le go dipoledišano di dirilwe, tšeo di utollotšego gore bakgathatema ba ile ba ikwa gore ga se ba itokiša ka fao go lekanego go lefelo la mošomo, go hloka kwešišo ya 4IR le mabokgoni ao a hlokegago a go thwalega ao a nyakwago ke 4IR. Bakgathatema ba bangwe ba dumetše gore 4IR e a fetošwa, e sa nyaka go šoma ga batho le bohlale, go hlatloša ngangišano ya magareng ga batho le metšhene. Tshekatsheko ya dipalopalo ya tlhalošo e šomišitšwe go sekaseka tshedimošo ya bontši, gomme tshekatsheko ya merero e šomišitšwe go sekaseka tshedimošo ya boleng. Dinyakišišo di utollotše gore go molaleng go naga efe goba efe e amogela 4IR gabonolo ka fao go kgonagalago, batšeakarolo ka moka (dihlongwa tša thuto, intasteri, mmušo, baithuti, di-SETA, baabi bao ba hlahlago, le Khansele ya tša Boleng ya Dikgwebišano le Mešomo (QCTO)) ba swanetše go šoma mmogo gore ba kgone go bula dibaka ka moka, go akaretšwa go ithuta goba go ithutela mošomo, le go hlama leswa lenaneothuto leo le loketšego maikemišetšo. 4IR e fetošitše diintasteri, ditšhaba, le ka tsela yeo re phelago ka gona le go amana. Go tseba ditlhohlo, maikemišetšo, le gore go itokišetša ga baithuti bao ba phethilego Dithutamahale tša Tlhabollo mabapi le 4IR go bohlokwa; ke ka lebaka leo, dinyakišišo tše di lekotšego seemo sa go itokišetša ga baithuti bao ba phethilego dithuto le dibaka tše di hwetšagalago ka mmarakeng wa bašomi. Dinyakišišo tše di tsenya letsogo kudu go makala a Dithutamahlale tša Tlhabollo le 4IR, go tliša temogo mabapi le diabe tša 4IR go mešomo ya ka moso ya baithuti bao ba phethilego dithuto, go lekola tema ye e kgathwago ke 4IR ka mošomong wa tlhabollo, le go šoma bjalo ka tlhahlo go dihlongwa tša thuto ya godingwana tše di nyakago go lokišetša baithuti ba Dithutamahlale tša Tlhabollo gore ba hwetše mešomo ka moso.