Hon Deputy Speaker, the popular view that possession of a university degree no longer guarantees success in the job market, it turns out, is quite untrue. A recent study commissioned by the Centre for Development and Enterprise, CDE, found that very few people with university degrees are unemployed and that any post-school qualification increases job prospects.
The number of degreed graduates in the labour force has more than doubled in the last 15 years and most of the growth has been in the private sector. South Africa's employers are still desperate for skills, and business is not reluctant to hire graduates. Economic growth in South Africa will necessitate employment of additional large numbers of skilled immigrants to meet the country's skills shortage. The ACDP notes the CDE recommendation that private university education be expanded. This would follow the example of Brazil, where hundreds of private institutes have been opened for tertiary-level education and training. The ACDP urges government to seriously consider the possibilities for positive growth contained in these findings, and encourages learners to strive for that university degree. Thank you.