A case study of South Africa: Strengthening pathways from education to the world of work

The European Union (EU)-supported Education for Employability (E4E) Technical Assistance project in South Africa aimed to enhance youth employability by aligning education, training and employment systems. In partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), it focused on cross-sector collaboration to strengthen pathways from learning to work, looking at the Three Streams Model in basic education, career guidance and development frameworks and systems, as well as bilateral labour agreements and a quota system. Contribution: The project promoted both strategic and operational alignment, with an emphasis on coordinated implementation to improve outcomes for young people transitioning through education and training into the labour market. Career development provided a unifying thread across the three sectors’ efforts.