The Waste RDI Roadmap is aimed at supporting the transformation of the waste sector through the generation of scientific evidence. The CSIR was tasked with implementing the roadmap on behalf of the government.

Prof Linda Godfrey, a principal researcher at the CSIR and manager of Circular Innovation South Africa says:

“South Africa’s waste sector needs active skills development if the country is to achieve its policy objectives of moving waste away from landfill, and in so doing address key environmental challenges while unlocking new social and economic opportunities.”

The Waste RDI Roadmap sets out how the sector can support job creation against the backdrop of high unemployment. It identifies three interventions to address the skills gap in the sector:

1. Human capital development (HCD)
2. Research and Development (R&D)
3. Innovation in the sector.

The HCD programme

The HCD component of the Roadmap seeks to build a skilled workforce in both the public and private sectors, driving the transformation of South Africa’s waste industry.

The programme was funded by the DSTI and housed within the CSIR; and aimed to strengthen sector capability through the investment in post-graduate students.

This was achieved by means of the:

• Development of two new postgraduate degrees that offer specialised study in solid waste management
• Direct scholarships for post-graduate students
• Partial or full funding for post-graduate students supported under Waste RDI Roadmap grant projects
• Funding under the two Waste Roadmap SARChI Chairs, and lastly
• Internship placements managed by the HSRC.

After the programme had concluded, the CSIR appointed the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) to conduct a track-and-trace study that would evaluate the impact of the programme.

Prof Godfrey says, “We had clear goals for the programme, so it was crucial to assess its impact afterward. We evaluated our success, identified what worked, and noted areas for improvement as we integrated these insights into the new Circular Economy Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Strategy.”

The HSRC’s track and trace study

The HSRC track and trace study entailed conducting a survey with beneficiaries in order to generate information which would deepen our understanding of the following:

• Gather data about the effectiveness and impacts of the programme
• Provide information about the activities, outcomes, and employment of beneficiaries
• Determine the nature of employment of beneficiaries
• Determine the extent to which beneficiaries were retained in the Waste Sector
• Pilot a survey of the beneficiaries’ employers’ perceptions of the value of the programme
• Generate evidence of key achievements and challenges regarding programme delivery mechanisms and how these can be improved for sustainability in the future.

Shirin Yousuff Motala, Director Research Impact at the HSRC in the Equitable Education and Economies division, says “Every project that aims to grow skills and employment is one worth pursuing, our task here is not to say, ‘this was a good or bad’ but to critically analyse how the project performed and why.”

Based on the database provided by the CSIR, we initially identified 206 HCD beneficiaries. However, this number database was further revised down to 144 beneficiaries after excluding 62 individuals who were either not contactable or reported that they had not completed their qualifications, which was a key inclusion criterion.

A total of 80 beneficiaries were interviewed representing 56% realised sample size. The demographic profile of the sample reflected that the majority of respondents were female (59%), which was an explicit objective of the programme. Additionally, 3% of the respondents were people with disabilities. Racial profile of the beneficiaries reflects a majority of Blacks (63%) followed by Asians and White at 14% each and Coloured 9%.

In terms of nationality, the majority were South African (81%), while 13% came from other African countries and the remaining 6% from elsewhere globally. Here again, the recruitment of beneficiaries from the African continent, responds to a key objective of the HCD programme of contributing to building waste sector skills and capabilities on the continent.

Of those beneficiaries interviewed, the sample included among others 49 with master’s qualifications, 13 with PhD qualifications, 9 with honours qualifications, 3 with bachelor’s qualification and 3 undertaking a post-doctoral placement.

The economic profile of the respondents’ households background revealed that:

• 49% came from households earning more than R20 500 per month with a further
• 11% from household earning between R10 500 and R20 000 a month
• 4% in a household earning between R7500 and R9500 a month
• 4% in a household earning between R3000 and R6500 a month
• 3% of the respondents came from households earning less than R1000 per month
• 28% did not respond to this question, refused to answer, or were unsure about their response.

According to Dr Mncwango, Chief Research Specialist at the HSRC, “The sample showed that economic barriers, while not the only barrier, were definitive barriers to access.”

Destinations

The track and trace study found that students had a strong tendency to stay in their province of origin, other students migrated to Gauteng or the Western Cape, while seven left the country.

Both Prof Godfrey and Motala agree that the skillsets remaining in their home provinces is a positive outcome, Prof Godfrey comments, “Developing skills outside of the economic hubs is extremely important if we are to tackle environmental challenges across the country.”

Beyond the physical destinations of the students, this study concentrates on the labour markets that the students moved into post-programme.

The HRSC reports that according to their sample, 73% of graduates successfully transitioned into employment, with 60% reporting gaining full-time employment. 28% of the programme’s graduates reported finding work within one month of completing the programme while 18% report not finding any employment after two years. The study shows that most of those who gained employment remained employed for more than a year.

Of the 73% who found employment, either full or part-time, 34% found work within the waste sector, and 36% found work outside of the waste sector.

The study showed that there is a higher chance of employment within larger organisations and higher education, where a fifth found employment at the institution they completed their qualification with. Of the 34% working in the waste sector, 20% report working in municipal waste, 16% in organic and plastic waste, 44% in highly specialised roles, and 4% in e-waste.

Of the graduates working in the waste sector, 28% said it would be very unlikely for them to move away from the sector, while 12% said they were likely or very likely to move away from waste citing “lack of growth opportunities.”

Benefits and barriers

“Part of the reason for the study is to see how the waste sector received the graduates, and what we need to consider going forward if we are to add meaningful skills to the sector,” says Prof Godfrey. The track-and-trace study allows for a balanced look into the programme, and the benefits that it had.

Overwhelmingly 93% of respondents reported that they would recommend the programme to others, noting that the programme had benefits outside of the financial aspects, including advanced mentoring and networking opportunities.

More than two-thirds of the beneficiaries said that the programme had helped them find employment, with one graduate stating that they were hired off the strength of the programme alone.

Dr Mncwango noted that “Employer recognition was a major factor that we considered within the study, as employment is the ultimate goal of the programme.” The study surveyed employers who hired graduates from the programme, and the following stood out:

• Waste sector employers all reported concerns about insufficient labour supply in the sector.
• Several employers said they had not heard of the programme until they hired a graduate.
• Waste sector employers feel that there is significant skill migration in the sector.
• Public entities say that their needs are socially mandated but cannot compete with the private sector in terms of salary, resulting in skills loss for key waste sector projects within the municipal sector.
• Most employers report a need for specific courses that tackle specialised e-waste management activities rather than broad training.
• Employers’ perception was that the waste sector is a neglected sector in terms of funding and training.

Motala says, “Getting info from the employers is just as valuable as getting data from the graduates. From what we gathered there is a clear need for this programme, but we found issues in terms of public versus private sector experiences of the programme including levels of general awareness.”

The employers all reported positive experiences with the graduates, noting proficiency, commitment, and reliability among the graduates. Some employers reported that the programme helped them locate specifically skilled graduates, while others reported graduates helped them pass their audits.

The study also helped identify systemic barriers, Prof Godfrey explains, “The waste sector, like any other, comes with its own problems. What the study can do is identify these problems and help us move forward with more context and better plans to help overcome these barriers.”

Women have a longer time finding employment in the waste sector, municipalities specifically only employed male graduates. Dr Mncwango says, “This reflects the broader gender inequality in South Africa, which necessitates targeted interventions.” “The waste sector has traditionally been a very male-dominated sector,” adds Godfrey, “but we are seeing this change as more women resonate with the green and circular economy opportunities that the sector can provide.”

Other notable barriers include:

• Gatekeeping in the waste sector: Many graduates report that the waste sector relies on relationships rather than straight qualifications.
• Lack of or poor-quality mentorship: While the programme promoted mentorship, some graduates noted that the mentors were not obligated to share their expertise, and it was treated as a formality.
• Limited practical experience provided by employers: Employers expect practical skills on top of higher-level qualifications, which some graduates felt were unrealistic.
• Limited knowledge about employers in the waste sector: Some graduates felt that their knowledge of potential employers was limited outside of municipal or research roles.
• Financial constraints by employers: Employers, especially in the public sector, did not provide adequate salary versus qualification and skill expectations.
• Personal challenges leading to withdrawal from the programme: 7 students withdrew from the programme citing difficulties with their supervisor, lack of support, and personal challenges.

Results

The results of the track-and-trace programme showed that the programme produced skilled graduates with 73% transitioning into the labour market in full-time, part-time or self-employment within one to eight months after graduation. The employees were reported to be held in high regard by their employers as they indicated that the employees had brought new skills and capacities into their companies.

One company illustrated that as a result of the beneficiary’s employment, the company had enhanced its performance on audits conducted. The retention of skills in the waste sector was 34% of all those employed full time and given the complexity of the sector this reflects an important contribution to upskilling in the waste sector.