The transition of students into employable leaders of tomorrow

Education is a fundamental factor for development. It improves the quality of life by raising people’s productivity and creativity and promotes entrepreneurship and technological advances. Education plays a crucial role in securing economic and social progress and improving income distribution.

However, traditional teaching models will no longer prepare students for jobs of tomorrow or to become adequate leaders. Higher education institutions must focus on employability as an integral part of the learning process,

Youth unemployment is one of the country’s greatest challenges and has been intensifiedby the COVID-19 pandemic.

Employability of graduates plays a vital role in their transformation. Increasingly, employers are demanding skills from graduates which are outside the subject area of study. Some employers have resorted to placing less importance on a graduate’s actual degree discipline, instead favouring the more generic skills and leadership attributes.

The move towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is technologically-focused, and the uncertainty around it puts pressure on the readiness of graduates.

Therefore, higher education institutions need to provide young graduates with the tools to become employable, all-inclusive professionals who stand a chance to be accepted by the world of work.

This is the only way we can present a positive perspective on youth and employability in South Africa. There must be a move from emphasising graduates to accentuating leaders of tomorrow.

The pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives and has highlighted the fact that higher education does not need to take place in a classroom,and neither does it have to be in a traditional “lecture” format.

Passing examinations on the strength of rote learning without understanding the subject matter and the practicalrelevance of it in industry, fails in the development of intellectual creativity needed for problem-solving; independent thinking; conflict resolution through effective negotiations; and such other 21^stcentury skills which employers currently pursue.

However, increase in access to the latest tutoring and techniques through blended learning should help bring about a paradigm shift in providing a feel for a more innovative eco-system and should produce employable and skilled graduates that are suitable.

Over recent months, we have seen thousands of university students studying virtually from home, determined to complete their academic year. Virtual learning no longer means learning in isolation with no support. The COVID-19 pandemic with its lockdown regulations has shown that learning virtually can be interactive, meaningful and effective.

At MANCOSA private higher education institution, the support towards students has been in the form of virtual open days, virtual graduations and live tutor support functions.

The use of e-learning and blended learning, along with cognitive and emotional intelligence,are pivotal during this period of transformation to prepare students to become leaders of tomorrow. 

There is theneed to advocate leadership, along with a blend of technology in the learning process, to instil value that transforms students into leaders of tomorrow.

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