(2018) Brady, Jonathan Gabriel.; Boyce, Gerard Denzil.
This study attempts to merge South African job search behaviours with massive open online
course (MOOC) literature in an attempt to discover what effects online certification can have
on youth outlooks and job search behaviour. This dissertation begins with a literature review
of each component, followed by a practical longitudinal study, comprising 15 unemployed
youths from a local Durban area, over 16 weeks in a pre and post-study period. The attitudes
and world outlooks of these youths is assessed through interview data, with suggestions for
local, regional and national programs in South Africa for utilising MOOCs as a tool for
addressing youth unemployment and achieving the human capital development necessary for
taking advantage of the country’s demographic dividend.
