Education not race important for employers - SAIRR

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Educational achievement is a more important indicator than race in determining whether someone is likely to be employed in a professional position.

That's according to the SA Institute of Race Relations, which says data shows that the proportion of people by race in professional positions closely mirrors the proportion of people by race with professional qualifications.

Researcher, Lucy Holborn, says while a degree of racial prejudice exists in all societies, their data suggests that educational achievement will determine the pace of future employment equity progress in South Africa.

She says their data, sourced from the Commission for Employment Equity and
Statistics South Africa, challenges the view that employers are resisting racial transformation.

Holborn says for example, Black African people account for 41% of people with a degree or higher and 36% of people in professional positions, while Coloured people account for 7% of people with a degree or higher and for 10% of people in professional positions.

"Indian people account for 7% of people with a degree or higher and for 9% of people in
professional positions. White people account for 45% of people with a degree or higher and for 42% of people in professional positions."

Holborn says the data cited was sourced from the Commission for Employment Equity and Statistics South Africa.