Studies that prepare you for the workplace
As young South Africans marked International Youth Day on 12 August, the question of what makes a university degree valuable in an increasingly competitive world of work has never been more relevant.
For the University of Pretoria (UP), the answer goes beyond the qualification itself.
It is about preparing graduates with the knowledge, skills and adaptability they need to navigate a changing workplace — and earning the confidence of the employers who will ultimately welcome them into it.
That confidence was reflected in the 2027 QS World University Rankings, released in June, which ranked UP number one in South Africa for Employer Reputation.
This placement recognises the strength of employers’ regard for UP graduates and their readiness to contribute in the workplace.
But graduate employability is not something that matters only when a student starts looking for a job. At UP, employability is part of the student journey from the beginning.
“Employability begins on the first day a student arrives on campus, and it is not solely about securing a job. It is about empowering graduates to be employable,” says Professor Francis Petersen, vice-chancellor and principal of UP.
Employability begins on the first day a student arrives on campus, and it is not solely about securing a job— Professor Francis Petersen, vice-chancellor and principal of UP
This means understanding the changing world of work and ensuring that students develop more than disciplinary knowledge.
“The future belongs to graduates who combine strong disciplinary knowledge and technical expertise with ‘power skills’ like communication, collaborative working ability, digital literacy, critical thinking, problem-solving, self-leadership, relationship-building, initiative, empathy, adaptability and intercultural awareness,” Petersen says.
These capabilities are increasingly important as workplaces continue their rapid evolution, with technology and artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping professions and changing the skills employers look for.
For students, this means opportunities to develop workplace readiness alongside their academic studies.
Petersen says students need exposure to internships, work-integrated learning, volunteer opportunities, leadership programmes, entrepreneurship initiatives and industry projects, along with support in developing professional networks and understanding workplace expectations.
Engagement with employers is another important part of the equation. Students benefit from opportunities to interact with employers and recruiters while they are still studying, gaining insight into how organisations assess and recruit graduates — and what skills they value.
At the same time, employability requires universities to listen to employers and respond to changes in the world of work. For UP, this forms part of a broader strategy to develop future-fit graduates who are adaptable, socially conscious, entrepreneurial and digitally capable.
The emphasis on digital capability is particularly important in a workplace being transformed by AI.
Graduates need to understand how emerging technologies are affecting their professions and how to use them effectively and ethically, while also developing the critical thinking needed to navigate the challenges that accompany these technologies.
Entrepreneurial thinking is equally valuable. Whether graduates establish their own ventures or work within established organisations, skills such as innovation, opportunity recognition and financial literacy can help them contribute meaningfully in the workplace.
Ultimately, graduate employability is not the responsibility of one department or one group within a university. “Achieving employability requires an entire ecosystem of support that includes the entire community of students, academic and professional staff, researchers, alumni and partners,” Petersen says.
For young people considering their future, the message is clear: a university education should prepare them not only to earn a qualification, but to keep learning, adapt to change and make a meaningful contribution in a world of work that will continue to evolve.
At UP, being ranked No. 1 by employers provides an indication that this approach is making an impact — and that preparing graduates for the workplace is about much more than getting them across the graduation stage.