Research Summary: Structural barriers to student career preparedness: institutional perspectives from a historically disadvantaged South African University

Research published in Frontiers in Education examines systemic barriers to career readiness at a South African Historically Disadvantaged Institution (HDI). Grounded in the perspectives of lecturers, academic advisors, and work-integrated learning coordinators, the study demonstrates that graduate unemployment is primarily driven by curriculum limitations, the digital divide, and institutional mismatches rather than individual student motivation or skills deficits.

Why it matters

This analysis highlights that resolving graduate transition failures requires systemic interventions rather than solely student-focused remedial programs. Addressing foundational issues like digital access and work-integrated learning is critical for sustainable workforce alignment and national economic equity. Without structural curriculum and infrastructural reforms, disparities in graduate employability will continue to widen.

Key insights

• Graduate career unpreparedness in South Africa stems from systemic higher education inequalities rather than individual motivation or skill gaps alone.
• Curriculum design, inadequate Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), and the digital divide interact to impede workforce readiness at Historically Disadvantaged Institutions.
• Institutional actors, including lecturers and academic advisors, report that structural barriers disproportionately affect students from rural and low-income backgrounds.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1925318