Employability Research in Africa

Prof. Dr. Dmitri van den Bersselaar; Dr. Ngozi Edeagu; Prof. Adebola Ekanola; Prof. Dr. Hamadi Tizaoui

doi:10.5771/9783748972327

Summary

"Employability Research in Africa" explores the causes of high graduate unemployment in African countries. It offers empirically grounded analyses of labour market dynamics and graduate experiences. It also suggests and evaluates measures to improve the chances of African graduates on the labour market or as business founders. It discusses sectoral perspectives, strategies and innovations in universities, skills development through digital technologies, and implications of technological change. The African cases help to rethink the concept of employability itself. This book provides insights for scholars, educators, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to bridge the gap between education and employment and to promote inclusive development. This title is also available as Open Access.

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2026
Copyright Year: 2026
ISBN-Print: 978-3-7560-4028-5
ISBN-Online: 978-3-7489-7232-7
Publisher: Nomos, Baden-Baden
Language: English
Pages: 461
Product Type: Edited Book

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1. Acknowledgements
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1. References
1. Authors:
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  1. Introduction
  2. The concept of employability
  3. Formal work and unemployment in Africa
  4. African statistics and employability research
  5. Graduates, jobs and development in Africa
  6. Approaches in research on employability in Africa
  7. Conclusion: What work does the concept of employability do?
  8. References
2. Authors:
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  1. Introduction
  2. The Model
  3. Optimality of employment of human capital
  4. Conclusion: Another reading of graduate unemployment
  5. References
3. Authors:
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  1. Introduction
  2. 1. Economic growth and education
    2. The moderator role of governance on the education-growth nexus
  3. Data description and model
  4. Results and discussion
  5. Conclusion and policy recommendations
  6. References
4. Authors:
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  1. Introduction
  2. Understanding wealth inequality and its impact
  3. Wealth inequality impacts perceived employability and perceived upward mobility
  4. Consequences of perceived employability and perceived upward mobility
  5. Moderating effects of meritocratic motives
  6. Self-efficacy as motivational buffer
  7. The moderating role of job search self-efficacy
  8. The moderating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy
  9. Discussion
  10. Conclusions and suggestions for future research
  11. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Comprehending Informal Work
  3. Description of the Research
  4. Work and Life Satisfaction
  5. Skills and Attributes
  6. Conclusion
  7. Bibliography
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  1. Introduction
  2. 1. Education Expenditure and Economic Growth: Competing Perspectives
    2. University Education, Mismatched Academic Tracks, and Graduate Unemployment
    3. Revisiting and Contextualizing the Concept of Employability in African Countries and Tunisia
  3. 1. Dynamics of Job Creation and Evolving Labour Demand (2005-2024)
    2. Evolution of Unemployment in Tunisia (2005–2024): A Gendered “Paradoxical Unemployment”
    3. Labour Market Snapshot in Tunisia, 2024: An Unfavourable Situation for the Labour Market, Particularly for Graduates and Women
    4. Economic Growth vs. Job Creation
  4. 1. Graduates Social Movements before 2011
    2. Graduate Unemployment and the 2011 Tunisian Revolution
    3. The Mobilisation of Unemployed Graduates in Post-Revolutionary Tunisia: Resource Inequalities and the Diversity of Collective Actions
  5. Conclusion
  6. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Methodology
  3. 1. Unemployment from the viewpoint of those concerned
    2. Unemployment from the viewpoint of political discourse
  4. 1. Combining speech and action
    2. Recourse to the President of the Republic in the post-July 25, 2021, context
  5. 1. A blanket regularization within reach of the public purse
    2. Expert appraisal of measures to facilitate the implementation of the blanket regularization
  6. Conclusion
  7. References
  8. 1. Appendix 1: Press release issued by the Presidency of the Government on February 11, 2021
    2. Appendix 2: A blanket regularization within reach of the public purse!
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  1. Introduction
  2. 1. Influences and motivations for choosing a career as a faculty member
    2. The “Factors Influencing Teaching” (FIT) theory
  3. 1. Self-perception
    2. Socialisation influence
    3. Values and perceptions of a career as a university instructor
    4. The elements of the default career choice
    5. Link between thesis discipline and preference for the private sector
  4. 1. The MOBIDOC scheme
    2. The Professional Doctorate: A Strategic Opportunity for Tunisia
  5. Conclusion
  6. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Objective of the study
  3. 1. University graduation periods
    2. Age and professional status
    3. Gender and professional status
    4. Professional mobility of university graduates in employment
  4. 1. University graduates in professional activity (public and private sectors)
    2. University degree specialisation and professional integration:
    3. Situation of university graduates in permanent employment by field of study
    4. University graduates in permanent paid employment by gender and specialisation
  5. 1. Sociological characteristics of university graduates and the unemployed
    2. Gender and social status of university graduates
    3. Competency structure at the national level
    4. University graduates seeking employment according to social background
    5. Duration of job search according to the social origin of university graduates seeking employment
    6. The problem of finding employment and its relationship to the strategy of unemployed university graduates
  6. 1. University students’ strategy
    2. Family strategies
    3. Strategies of public agencies to support university students
  7. 1. Successful professional integration
    2. Complex and long-term professional integration
    3. Precarious professional integration
    4. Integration through entrepreneurial ventures:
  8. General summary of key findings
  9. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. 1. The rural exodus
    2. The demographic boom
    3. The increase in school enrolment rates
    4. The gradual access of women to education and employment
    5. The oil crises and their economic impact
  3. Indicators of labour market performance in Algeria
  4. Situation of university graduates in the Algerian labour market
  5. The situation of young university graduates in the labour market in Bejaïa
  6. Conclusion
  7. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Literature Review
  3. Methods
  4. Biographical profile of the interviewees
  5. Rethinking Unemployment Duration: Insights from Official Statistics and Social Perceptions
  6. Graduates’ Increased Vulnerability and Concern Regarding Long-Term Unemployment
  7. Explaining Long-Term Graduate Unemployment: Structural and Social Factors
  8. The Impact of Long-Term Unemployment on Graduates
  9. Conclusion
  10. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Materials and Methods
  3. Results
  4. Discussion
  5. Key challenges that higher education graduates in Rwanda face when transitioning into the labour market
  6. Strategies and adaptive practices
  7. Conclusion
  8. Recommendations for enhancing graduate employability
  9. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Employability in the Late Colonial Period: Communists and Capitalists
  3. The Politics of Graduate Employability
  4. Graduate Employability in Post-Biafra Nigeria
  5. Conclusion
  6. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Brief overview of graduate turnout in Ghana
  3. Social Network Theory
  4. Related literature
  5. Method
  6. 1. Successful job search method by employed/working graduates
    2. Sector of employment by the employed graduates
    3. Employed graduates’ network ties
  7. 1. Productivity of formal vs informal job search methods
    2. Variation in formal and informal in the Ghanaian context
    3. The dichotomy of weak and strong ties in Ghanaian labour market
  8. Theoretical implications
  9. Limitations and conclusion
  10. Acknowledgements
  11. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Medical training in Algeria: modernisation, challenges and paradoxes
  3. The design of our case study in the province of Oran
  4. Results
  5. Professional integration: between difficulties and successes
  6. Conclusion
  7. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. A Brief Definition of Recruitment
  3. 1. Cost Considerations
    2. Information Asymmetry
    3. Trust
  4. 1. Human Capital
    2. Cultural Capital
  5. Methods
  6. 1. Employers Search Channels
  7. Selection Process
  8. Conclusion
  9. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Conceptual Framework: Operationalising Employability in Creative and Cultural Sectors
  3. 1. Informality as Adaptive Employability Architecture
    2. Enterprise-Based Learning and Skills Transmission
    3. Networks and Reputation as Employability Currency
  4. 1. Skills Formation Through Sustainable Production
    2. Enterprise-Based Employability Pathways
    3. Institutional Access Pathways
    4. Market and Network Embeddedness
  5. 1. Skills-to-Market Transition Barriers
    2. Institutional Recognition Deficits
    3. Income Pathway Insecurity
    4. Network Exclusion Mechanisms
    5. Digital Divide as Algorithmic Barrier
  6. 1. Employability-Oriented Creative Arts Education
    2. Enterprise and Career Adaptability Training
    3. Recognition of Informal Employability Pathways
    4. Support Mechanisms for Network Embeddedness
  7. Conclusion: art and culture enterprises as employability architectures
  8. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Green entrepreneurship in the Tunisian context
  3. 1. Entrepreneurial Event Theory: Perceived desirability and feasibility
    2. The Theory of Planned Behaviour
    3. Dynamic Capabilities Theory for green job creation
    4. Classic Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship
    5. Green entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship
  4. 1. Entrepreneurial Intention
    2. From Intention to Action
    3. Project sustainability
    4. Green entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship: a dynamic of sustainable innovation
  5. Modelling green entrepreneurship
  6. Transposability
  7. Conclusion
  8. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. 1. Benefits for universities
    2. Benefits for faculty
    3. Benefits for students
    4. Benefits for the community-based businesses
  3. 1. Results
  4. 1. Theme 1: Stakeholders’ awareness: Fostering understanding and engagement
    2. 1. Strategy
      2. Emphasis on service-learning outcomes
      3. Underlining the training for faculty on the approach
      4. Underlining the support and resources from the university
    3. Theme 3: Institutional support
    4. Theme 4: Strengthen faculty Competencies for ASL implementation: Training and Professional Development
    5. Theme 5: Government support for universities
  5. Conclusion
  6. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Activities, Lifelong Learning, and Employability
  3. A Comprehensive Methodology for Exploring Pre-career Perceptions
  4. 1. EC Service as a Catalyst for Identity Transformation
    2. EC Service as a Process of Career Self-Management and Reflexivity
    3. EC Service as a Context for Developing and Mobilising Employability Resources
  5. Discussion, limitations & perspectives
  6. Conclusion
  7. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. 1. Theoretical evidence
    2. Empirical evidence
  3. Analytical framework
  4. 1. Materials
    2. Methods
    3. Data Processing and Analysis
    4. Limits of the World Café Model
  5. 1. Professionals’ opinions on graduate’ soft skills
    2. Socio-demographic characteristics of the survey population
    3. Ranking soft skills following the two groups of surveyed trainees (T0, T1)
    4. What are the decisive characteristics of professionals’ assessment of soft skills?
    5. Converging and Diverging views of professionals on soft skills following the groups T0&T1
    6. Comparing the two groups (T0 and T1) according to the seven soft skills
    7. Comparing the two groups (T0 and T1) according to a soft skill “entrepreneurship spirit”
  6. 1. Theoretical Importance of soft skills for businesses
    2. Empirical Importance of soft skills for businesses
    3. The failure to ensure a successful immersion of soft skills for graduates
  7. Conclusion
  8. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. 1. Soft Skills Acquisition Among Higher Education Institution Students in Nigeria
    2. Student Perspectives on Soft Skills Development Strategies in Nigerian Higher Education Institutions
  3. Conclusion
  4. Suggestions for Further Study
  5. References
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  1. 1. Research design
  2. Results
  3. 1. Factors affecting the SIWES programme
    2. Perceptions of training facilities
    3. Monitoring of SIWES activities
    4. Acceptance of PSN
  4. Recommendations
  5. Acknowledgement
  6. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. 1. Historical context of technology integration in education
    2. Current trends and research findings on the integration of AI and VR in higher education globally
    3. Relevance and potential benefits of AI and VR in African higher education contexts
    4. Existing challenges and barriers to technology integration in African universities
  3. 1. Theoretical foundations guiding the integration of AI and VR in curriculum design
    2. Pedagogical approaches and instructional strategies for incorporating AI and VR technologies
    3. Frameworks for assessing the efficacy and impact of technology integration on student learning outcomes and employability
  4. Methodology and research design
  5. 1. Evaluation of the current status of AI and VR Integration in higher education curricula across African universities
    2. Analysis of the potential impact of technology integration on enhancing student employability
    3. Identification of successful implementation strategies and best practices
    4. Examination of challenges and barriers encountered during the integration process
  6. Discussion
  7. Conclusion and recommendations
  8. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. 1. Digital coaching platforms
    2. Employability
    3. Unemployment
    4. The “employability gap” in Nigeria
    5. The unemployment gap in Nigeria
    6. The role of digital coaching platforms for employability
    7. Gaps in the literature
  3. Theoretical framework
  4. Methodology and research design
  5. 1. Experiences of graduates and graduate entrepreneurs with digital coaching platforms
    2. Functionality of digital coaching platforms in employability skill acquisition
  6. Discussion of Findings
  7. 1. Recommendations
    2. Suggestion for further studies
  8. References
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  1. Introduction
  2. Field and methodology
  3. Creativity as an employability skill in creative work labs: the Tunisian creative industries
  4. Generative AI as a General-Purpose Technology (GPT) in Service of the Creative Industries in Tunisia
  5. 1. Updating the designer’s profile: AI as a lever for skills differentiation
    2. How to Train for Generative Artificial Intelligence to Ensure Better Professional Integration
  6. Conclusion
  7. References
List of ContributorsPages 451 - 460 Download chapter (PDF)

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