Transition of NCV students from TVET colleges to the

Labour Market

Presentation to Bridge Post School Access Focus Group

22 October 2015

2

Background: NCV courses in TVET colleges

• TVET colleges formally constituted in 2002 • Sector comprises 50 new FET colleges with 165 campus sites

were established across the nine provinces.• Colleges offer NATED courses and since 2007 they offer the

National Certificate Vocational (NCV) courses. • NATED and NCV provide training at levels 2, 3 and 4 on the NQF

and are open to those who have completed at least Grade 9. • NCV was initially intended to replace the NATED courses. But

has not happened• Enrolment in the NCV - 130 000 to 150 000 for the last 5 years. • Massive growth in NATED courses - now four times that of the

NCV.

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Background to NCV research: 2010 research

• Key challenge faced by DHET: how to manage the envisaged expansion of the TVET colleges without destabilising the sector.

• Lack of reliable data around the role of TVET Colleges in relation to the supply of skills identified as a key weakness .

• In order to fill this gap, a research project was commissioned and designed to provide data specifically related to NCV on:

• the status of colleges in relation to meeting the needs of young schools leavers and

• challenges that colleges face in effectively preparing youth for the labour market.

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Research Design

• The research was designed to comprise two waves • WAVE 1: An in-college survey of NCV students (NCV 2-4) was

conducted in 30 TVET colleges in 2010. • Aim of Wave 1:

• Understand learner backgrounds• Factors bringing them to TVET colleges• Experience in TVET college• Role of TVET colleges in preparing the youth for labour market

• Colleges were instructed that learners should complete the survey during specific lectures. Possible slight selection bias.

• In total 18 131 learners were surveyed.

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Research design: Wave 2

WAVE 2: Was a tracer survey of the same students once they had graduated from college and been in the labour market for a time.

• Contact details collected during 2010 survey • Aim of Wave 2:

• examine experiences on leaving TVET colleges and entering the labour market.

• Population -18 131 students surveyed in 2010. • Sampling frame - 17 387 individuals (excluded: those with no name

and surname, no telephone number and no level of study).• 9 000 individuals randomly selected.• 100 individuals formed part of the pilot, leaving 8 900 individuals • The survey was carried out telephonically • 3 113 agreed to participate, a response rate of 37.2%

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Main findings of 2010 survey

• Learners from poor SE environments . Many parents unemployed and/or with limited educational background.

• 53% of students had already obtained a Grade 12 certificate. • Attracting mainly older student• Family has a strong influence on educational choices. Interest

in a field of study and career prospects also deciding factors.• Females more concerned about the availability of a job. Males

choose a field more out of interest. • Availability of bursaries a key attraction for youth to the NCV. • Some migration of students to TVET colleges in other provinces

esp to Gauteng (42%) and Western Cape (35%). Reason: lack of an college near their home.

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Main findings of 2010 survey, contd

• In term of preparation for the world of work, students were positive about lecturer input in the classroom but not positive about the college capacity to link them with potential employers.

• Student support services were limited and very under-utilised. • The role of the college in supporting learnerships and

apprenticeships was very limited.

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Wave 2

• Wave 2 obtained data on a:• Transition pathways • Employment opportunities• Income range of those that are employed• Kinds of industries or sectors accessed• Role of the college in preparing the student to get a job.

This presentation focuses mainly on the transition, employment opportunities and earnings. Other themes to be addressed in the future.

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Profile of 2015 respondents

• 53% were female and 46% were male. This is similar to the gender breakdown of the 18 131 who participated in 2010.

• Majority of respondents are African (92%) followed by Coloured (6%), White (1%) and Indian (less than 1%).

• Of the 3 113 respondent in 2015, 52% were in NCV2 in 2010, 33% in NCV3 and 16% in NCV 4.

• 23% living in Gauteng followed by Mpumalanga (18.1%) and KwaZulu-Natal (14.1%). Remaining provinces each have less than 10% with Northern Cape having just 1.7% of respondents.

• Most respondents (65%) still living in the town or city where they studied in 2010.

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Profile of 2015 respondents, contd

• Most respondents live with family members (79%), in particular with one or both parents (50%). A small proportion (13%) live alone and some live with their spouse (5%).

• 68% live in households that comprise between 2 and 6 people, while 4% live in households made up of 10 or more people.

• 76% live in a formal dwelling while the rest live in informal accommodation or traditional dwellings.

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Profile of 2015 respondents, contd

Level No of students % of total

NCV2 1605 51.6%

NCV3 1020 32.8%

NCV4 488 15.7%

Total 3113 100%

• Of the 3 113, 52% were in NCV2 in 2010, 33% in NCV3 and 16% in NCV 4.

• By 2015 most of these student should have their NCV 4. • However this is not the case: Most students who enrol for

the NCV qualification DO NOT complete level 4.

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Completion of NCV 4 by 2015 by level of study in 2010

NCV Level 2 NCV Level 3 NCV Level 4 Total0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

31%41%

56%38%

69%59%

44%62%

Not completedCompleted

• 38% completed NCV 4 by 2015 with 4% still studying towards NCV qualification in 2015.

• Of those who were in NCV4 in 2010 only 56% had got their NCV 4 by 2015

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% who had/had not finished NCV 4 by 2015 by field of study

Safet

y in So

ciety

Office Administ

ration

Educati

on and Dev

elopmen

t

Touris

m

Hospita

lity

Civil E

nginee

ring a

nd Building C

onstructi

on

Finan

ce, Ec

onomics an

d Accounting

Marketi

ng

Electr

ical In

frastr

ucture

Constructi

on

Engin

eerin

g and Rela

ted Desi

gn

Mechatr

onics

Informati

on Teach

nology an

d Computer Sc

ience

Agricu

lture

Genera

l man

agem

ent

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

53%46% 45% 45% 43% 43% 39% 39% 35% 33% 30% 24%

13% 9%

47%54% 55% 55% 57% 57% 61% 62% 65% 67% 70% 76%

88% 91%

Not completedCompleted

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Reason for not completing NCV 4

• Lack of finance is the main reason given for not completing the NCV qualification

• But 60% of those surveyed in 2015 had government bursaries in 2010.

• Bursary would have continued if they finished each year in stipulated time.

• Clearly most of the students are not able to complete their studies in the stipulated time and had to fund for their own studies.

• Other reasons given for not completing the NCV qualification included: got a job, wrong course for me or moved to N4.

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Regression analysis : Dependent variable - Completion of NCV 4 qualification

  Odds Ratio Standard errorsAge 0.97 (0.013)**Female 1.365 (0.109)***Coloured 1.661 (0.275)***Indian 2.012 -1.294White 1.225 -0.458Household Size 0.974 -0.016Formal Housing 0.824 (0.079)**National Senior Certificate 1.688 (0.134)***Study In Province Origin 1.066 -0.09NCV3 1.505 (0.131)***NCV4 2.754 (0.307)***Bursary/Loan 1.273 (0.111)***

* p<0.1; ** p<0.05; *** p<0.01

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Transition pathway NCV3 in 2010

2011 2012 2013 2014 20150.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%

70.2%

35.4%

21.3%17.2%

11.8%10.2%

28.5%

42.4%49.4%

41.4%

17.8%

35.0% 35.9%31.4%

46.9%

Pathway of those doing NCV3 in 2010

Studying Employed Unemployed Unknown

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Transition pathway NCV in 2010

2011 2012 2013 2014 20150.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%

30.5%24.2%

18.6%14.8% 11.7%

30.7%

43.9%51.4%

60.5%

52.0%

36.9%31.6% 29.3%

23.0%

36.3%

Pathway of NCV4 in 2010

Studying Employed Unemployed Unknown

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Transition pathways of NCV 3 & 4 in 2015

2011 2012 2013 2014 20150%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

31%

24%

19%15%

12%

31%

44%

51%

61%

52%

37%

32%29%

23%

36%

Pathway of NCV4 in 2010

Studying Employed Unemployed Unknown

2011 2012 2013 2014 20150%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

70%

35%

21%17%

12%10%

28%

42%

49%

41%

18%

35%

36%31%

47%

Pathway of NCV3 in 2010

Studying Employed Unemployed Unknown

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Employment, contd

All employed0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

68.3%

8.8%

22.9%

Kind of employment

Contract Informal/Piece Work Permanent

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Employment, contd

Governmen

t

Sef-e

mployed

Informal/

Piece w

orkNGO

Private

compan

y

Private

Person

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

19.1%

2.8% 0.1% 1.0%

73.3%

3.7%

Types of Employers

Types of Epmployers

Resp

onde

nts

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Completion of NCV4 and employment status by 2015

Did not complete Completed Total0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

61% 68% 64%

39% 32% 36%

% employed and not employed according to whether or not achieved NCV4 by 2015

Employed Never been employed

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Completion of NCV4 and employment status

Completed NCV4

Did not complete

NCV4

Total 0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

71.7% 66.0% 68.3%

4.8% 11.5% 8.8%

23.5% 22.6% 22.9%

Kind of employment

PermanentInformal/Piece WorkContract

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Earnings

<R1 000

R 1 001 – R 3 000

R 3 001 – R 5 000

R 5 001 – R 7 000

R 7 001 – R 9 000

R 9 001 – R 11 000

R 11 001 – R 13 000

R 13 001 – R 15 000

>R 15 000

Refused

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%

5.2%

48.3%

22.1%

9.1%4.0% 2.2% 1.2% 0.9% 1.7% 5.3%

Amount earned in employment

Perc

enta

ge

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Earnings, contd

<1000 1001–3000

3001–5000

5001–7000

7001–9000

9001–11000

11001–13000

13001–15000

>150000%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

7%

60%

20%

7%3% 1% 1% 0% 1%

4%

43%

27%

12%5% 3% 1% 1% 3%

Earning distribution by gender

Female Male

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Summary of findings

• Pathway into employment via the NCV qualification is difficult.• Most students do not complete their NCV 4• Lack of finance is still the main reason for not completing• Around 60% have been able to find employment at some stage but in

any given year only around half of all respondents were employed.• BUT for those who do find employment, the majority earn less than

R3000/month.• Their employment is usually impermanent • Most of the jobs are in the private sector.• Those who complete the NCV 4 are only slightly more likely to have

employment than those who do not complete

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THANK YOU

Transformation through knowledge