![Sample our Global Development journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5929/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Global-Development.jpg"})
![Publish Open Access Finland]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110396/JournalAd-OA-Agreements.gif"})
![SDG Online Goal 1: No poverty. Request a free trial today]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110697/JournalAd-Resources-SDGO-1-2021.png"})
ABSTRACT
South Africa has high youth unemployment. This article examines the predictors of youth employment in rural Agincourt, Mpumalanga Province. A survey of 187 out-of-school 18 to 24 year olds found that only 12% of women and 38% of men were currently employed. Men with skills/training were significantly more likely to report employment, mostly physical labour (adjusted odds ratio: 4.5; confidence interval: 1.3, 15.3). In-depth interviews with 14 of the youth revealed that women are perceived more suitable for formal employment, which is scarce, informing why women were more likely to pursue further education and yet less likely to be employed. Ten key informants from local organisations highlighted numerous local youth employment resources while, in contrast, all youth in the sample said no resources were available, highlighting a need for the organisations to extend their services into rural areas. Because these services are focused on entrepreneurship, programmes to increase financial literacy and formal employment opportunities are also needed.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank all participants for contributing to this study. They also wish to acknowledge Rhian Twine, Floidy Wafanawaka, Amanda Selin, and the staff and fieldworkers of the Medical Research Council/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt) at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa for facilitating data collection.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.