What is Graduate

This chapter evaluates the youth entrepreneurship programmes aimed at upskilling and socialising both the graduates and young professionals in the world of work. Their socio-economic exclusion and marginalisation have led to the growing youth unemployment, unemployability, and discontent while among the graduates, the unemployment has become an emerging phenomenon. This chapter, therefore, argues that for youth to escape the scourge of unemployment, exclusion, and marginalisation, entrepreneurship coaching and mentoring as well as entrepreneurial education and mind-set are imperative. The chapter found that with progressive policy support, skills, and mentoring programmes, young people are able not only to create self-employment, but to also emerge as drivers of innovative entrepreneurial programmes. Thus, without requisite skills and access to the market, youth will continue to exist in the periphery of the mainstream economy. Case studies and secondary sources were used to analyse the opportunities and challenges faced by youth entrepreneurship programmes in South Africa.