Factors contributing to unemployment of Young Graduates in Botswana: the case of Gaborone

Abstract

Although Botswana has achieved rapid economic growth, unemployment still remains a serious concern for the country. According to the Botswana Labor Force Survey Report (2005/06), the rate of youth unemployment, including graduates, accounts for 69% of the total unemployed. Previous studies on graduate unemployment in Botswana identified some factors that are responsible for unemployment of graduates in Botswana. This study attempted to provide a comprehensive examination of the factors that contribute to unemployment of young graduates and explored the challenges in government initiatives which were established to address graduate unemployment. A qualitative research method was employed using in-depth interviews and focus group discussion. A total of fifteen unemployed graduates and six informants from six organizations (two government, two private and two NGO) took part in the study. All respondents were from Gaborone. All the unemployed graduates have Bachelor’s degree in the fields of Humanities or Social Sciences from the University of Botswana. The findings indicate that graduates from the fields of Humanities and Social Sciences have difficulties in finding jobs in the labor market. The main factors that contribute to unemployment of young graduates are insufficient job creation, skill mismatch, lack of work experience, unavailability of early retirement scheme, inadequate practical skills, lack of entrepreneurship skills and to some extent the attitudes of graduates. Among government initiatives which were established to address the problem of unemployment among young graduates, unemployed graduates are familiar with National Internship Program (NIP), Youth Development Fund (YDF), and Graduate Volunteer Scheme (GVS). The main challenge identified in these programs is lack of proper monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Some suggestions provided by respondents to address the challenges in government initiatives include strengthening monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, revision of YDF’s list of business areas, increment of internship allowance, and increasing awareness about government initiatives.