Browsing by Author "Maharaj, Navin."

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The geographies of inclusion and exclusion in the business studies curriculum : narratives of six students at a vocational education and training college in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2014) Maharaj, Navin.; Morojele, Pholoho Justice.
This qualitative study examined the geographies of inclusion and exclusion in the context of the Business Studies curriculum through the narratives of six students at a Vocational Education and Training (VET) college in KwaZulu-Natal. The study examined students’ experiences related to the choice of the Business Studies Vocational Education and Training programme and curriculum; the accessibility of resources for the practical training; support and career guidance; forms of inclusionary and exclusionary dynamics within the Vocational Education and Training college; and the navigation of inclusionary and exclusionary dynamics in a VET college in the South of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The study was conducted in a college situated in close proximity to a historically disadvantaged African township. The participants did not meet the university entry requirements and they chose the VET college which they felt was an affordable option catering for their current needs. VET in many parts of the world including South Africa has a negative image in society because there is a perception that VET caters for students who drop out of school or are academically challenged. However, this study maintains that VET is essential to prepare students for the much needed skills the economy requires and to relieve the pressure at universities to increase enrolments. The VET college provides Vocational Education and Training opportunities for many students so that they can enter employment mainly in the neighbouring industrial regions in Isipingo. The narratives of the participants were used for data generation. The research process utilised a semistructured interview schedule and individual interviews and a focus group discussion was organised to elicit responses from the six participants. The findings revealed that the Business Studies programme had prepared the participants with the knowledge and skills for the world of work. The resources available at the VET college were adequate and appropriate for the practical instruction. The study revealed that the social, economic and educational factors conjoined in very complex ways as exclusionary and inclusionary factors in this context. The participants had to navigate through these inclusionary and exclusionary dynamics in order to progress in their studies. The findings revealed that the participants were confident about their choice of programme and the VET college despite the negativity around VET in their society. Most of them believed that completing level 4 would provide them with a grade 12 equivalent certificate. The participants aimed at articulation into higher education which would be a hurdle for them and remains a grey area which needs to be addressed speedily by the educational authorities. The findings indicated that current policy considerations around articulation remain unresolved, which made some of the VET participants to believe that their present qualifications might merely result in a dead-end for them.
The graduate employability of ICT graduates.
(2015) Maharaj, Navin.; Singh, Anesh Maniraj.
Skills development is a catalyst that can ensure economic growth in South Africa. However, this development needs to be aligned with industry requirements to ensure that appropriately skilled individuals embark on their careers with confidence and are able to contribute positively to the economy. Information communication technology’s (ICT's) ubiquity across all sectors of the economy has spurred demand for skills in this sector. Hence, it is important that graduates possess the necessary knowledge and skills to contribute to the company and economy in the shortest possible time frame. Whilst effort is focused on skills development strategies and policies, there is little evidence to suggest that these efforts produce the desired results of employable graduates. This has raised the question, “Do ICT graduates possess the employability characteristics that are desired by industry?” The aim of this study was to explore the graduate employability of ICT graduates with specific reference to the software development industry. Furthermore, the study aimed to establish whether the Sector Skills Plan of the Sector Education and Training Authority is aligned with the requirements of the software industry. Due to the expert input required in a study of this nature, a qualitative study was adopted which focused on data collection from experts. These individuals were responsible for their company’s graduate programme, which distinguished them as ideal sources of data that could be collected via interviews. Ten companies that employ ICT graduates in their graduate programme were purposefully selected to achieve the study’s objectives. The data collectively led to the conclusion that the graduates do not display the employability characteristics desired by industry. Although they possessed a sound theoretical foundation, they lacked the practical and skills components viewed as fundamental requirements in industry. This was also exaggerated by the graduates’ dearth of soft skills. However, the data analysis also highlighted the lack of collaboration between government and industry that further exacerbated the graduates’ inability to function effectively in industry. These findings culminated in several recommendations to ensure proper alignment and implementation of skills development and training strategies to produce well rounded graduates possessing the key requirements of industry. Underpinning these recommendations is the need for further collaboration between industry, government and the universities.