Mthobisi Nozulela | Published 23 minutes ago
South Africa continues to face high youth unemployment, but new data shows that opportunities for school leavers still exist across several sectors of the economy.
IOL previously reported that South Africa’s official unemployment rate rose to 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 31.4% in the final quarter of 2025, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Stats SA.
The economy lost 345,000 jobs during the three months, reducing the number of employed people to 16.8 million. At the same time, the number of unemployed South Africans increased by 301,000 to 8.1 million.
However, according to a new report by Pnet, there are still clear entry points into the labour market for young people with a matric certificate, particularly in sales, administration, customer service and retail support roles.
"While youth unemployment remains one of South Africa's most significant challenges, the data shows that meaningful entry points into the labour market continue to exist across a range of industries " the report noted.
"From sales, administration and customer support to finance, information technology, engineering and marketing, employers continue to create opportunities for school leavers, graduates and first-time jobseekers. For employers, entry-level recruitment plays an important role inbuilding sustainable talent pipelines".
Top entry-level jobs for school leavers include:
Admin Clerk
Customer Support Agent
Receptionist
Call Centre Operator
Merchandiser
Claims Consultant
Sales Representative
The report shows that sales representative roles remain one of the strongest entry points for school leavers, often offering higher earning potential compared to other entry-level jobs.
Top entry-level jobs for graduates include:
Software Developer
Electrical Engineer
Financial Accountant
Bookkeeper
Systems / Network Administrator
Marketing Assistant
Human Resources Assistant
Recruitment Consultant
While most school-leaver roles require little to no experience, graduate positions typically demand a diploma or degree and offer higher starting salaries.
"For jobseekers, the findings highlight that a successful career oftenbegins with gaining practical workplace experience rather thansecuring the perfect role immediately. Many of today's most in-demand professionals started their careers in entry-level positionsthat provided foundational skills, industry exposure and opportunities for growth".
[email protected]
IOL Business
Get your news on the go. Download the latest IOL App for Android and IOS now
Related Topics:
Read the full article at IOL (Independent Online) →
ZA