Background: In higher education, due to high turnover rates, how academic employees perceive career development initiatives can either positively or negatively affect their career growth, retention rate and motivational levels. Despite that, there is a dearth of research studies on how academic employees perceive career development initiatives, which ultimately might lead to high or low turnover rates. Objectives: This study explored, descriptively, academic employees’ perceptions of the career development initiatives at the university, with a specific focus on career planning, counselling/guidance, organisational support and career adaptation initiatives. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive design was used, with data collected online via an adapted survey distributed via Google Forms. Using convenience sampling, 89 academic staff across four faculties participated. The instrument’s overall internal consistency was 0.714 (Cronbach’s alpha). Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations and frequencies) were analysed using International Business Machines (IBM) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 30.0. Results: Findings revealed generally positive perceptions of overall career development initiatives and career planning sub-scales, while career counselling and guidance, organisational support and career adaptation were perceived negatively. Conclusion: Academic employees at the university are satisfied with career planning initiatives but dissatisfied with operational ones. The university should implement an effective career counselling program and provide visible support for career growth, leading to more motivated and committed academics. Contribution: The study contributes to African higher education literature by revealing a gap between institutional career policy and academics’ perceptions, highlighting the need for stronger and realistic career development initiatives and their implementation.
Background: In the ever-changing economic landscape characterised by job scarcities and high rates of unemployment, making a sensible career choice has become increasingly crucial in helping individuals find their career paths. However, deciding on a career is seldom a straightforward task for rural youth in South Africa because of limited access to career counselling and geographical disadvantages, which limit their ability to make informed and purposeful career decisions. Objectives: The study explores the factors that influence the ease and difficulty of making a career choice among youth in the North West province of South Africa. It focuses on the enablers and barriers to career decision-making in young people from economically deprived contexts. Methods: A qualitative research approach was employed to examine the experiences of 83 youth participants through semi-structured questionnaires. Inductive content analysis was used to identify emerging themes and acquire in-depth insights into the participants’ narratives. Results: The findings revealed that a lack of career guidance and education support, as well as career choice influences, such as parental-imposed career choices, contributed to the difficulty in making a career choice. On the contrary, career development efforts, personal career aspirations and career choice influences, such as role modelling, made it relatively easy for rural youth to make a career choice. Conclusion: This study highlights that the career decision-making process among rural youth is influenced by a multitude of contextual factors. Therefore, the findings of this study underscore the importance of a career counselling intervention strategy that is tailored to accommodate the diverse needs of rural youth. Contribution: This study demonstrates that contextual factors can undermine the prospects of personal development. In particular, the study highlights the role of rurality as a symbol of social class that shapes career choices.
Background: State-owned entities (SOEs) are under increasing pressure to improve their performance and adopt new technologies. The main elements of efficient information technology (IT), governance and overall organisational performance will be elucidated and examined in this study. The methodology is intended to evaluate the strategies, plans and policies needed to improve South Africa’s global competitiveness. It will assess how well these instruments support national development goals, identify any gaps or inefficiencies and provide insights for improving them to promote innovation, sustainable growth and economic resilience. Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate current IT governance guidelines and practices by assessing existing IT practices in South African SOE. Methods: This study used a systematic literature review approach to ensure a thorough and transparent evaluation of the body of available literature. Google Scholar and Sabinet were used to find and obtain a wide variety of pertinent articles. The review approach specifically used predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria to preserve methodological consistency and reduce selection bias. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework, which organised the screening, eligibility evaluation and ultimate selection of papers for analysis, was followed in the development of these criteria. Results: The results indicate that achieving synergy in digital technologies requires both the clear alignment of IT goals with the organisation’s strategic goals and the efficient use of IT governance. Moreover, in a quickly changing technical context, aligning digital projects with governance principles not only improves accountability and transparency but also encourages creativity and flexibility. Conclusion: Integrating digital technology with IT governance offers a game-changing opportunity to improve the performance of SOEs. This improves decision-making procedures, operational effectiveness and strategic alignment with national goals by incorporating cutting-edge digital tools into governance frameworks. Contribution: This study will make a significant contribution to understanding the complexities of IT governance frameworks implementation in South African SOEs.
Background: Graduate employability is an increasing concern for higher education institutions (HEIs), employers and students. Objectives: Guided by the assumptions of sociological institutional theory, this study explored employers’ perceptions of research psychology graduates’ generic skills, with the intention of addressing skills which contribute to the employability of these graduates in the South African labour market. Methods: A qualitative research approach was employed, utilising a generic qualitative design and snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 representatives from organisations, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings revealed that research psychology graduates who possess a range of generic and transferable skills that complement their academic qualifications enhance their ability to perform effectively and become employable. Conclusion: The study highlights the need to bridge the gap between academic training and labour market demands by aligning educational outcomes with employers’ expectations. Contribution: This study offers practical recommendations for employers, psychology departments in HEIs and curriculum developers.
Background: Global education frameworks increasingly emphasise the alignment of academic programmes with labour market demands and equity imperatives. Strengthening career guidance and enhancing curricular relevance are considered essential for supporting informed student decision-making and long-term employability. Objectives: This study investigates motivational dimensions and gender-based differences influencing programme selection among Bachelor of Commerce and Economics students in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the National University of Lesotho. The study explores how demographic profiles and motivational orientations shape academic choices and perceived programme value. Methods: A descriptive quantitative survey was administered to 159 first-year students. Data were analysed by using SPSS for exploratory factor analysis, reliability testing and independent samples t-tests to assess gender differences across seven motivational constructs. Chi-square analysis examined associations between gender and programme choice. Results: Seven motivational factors emerged: instructional quality, academic ease, career value, social endorsement, programme popularity, intrinsic interest and prestige. While most factors showed no significant gender differences, male students scored significantly higher on intrinsic interest and future utility. No statistically significant association was found between gender and programme choice. Conclusion: Student decision-making reflects a complex interplay of personal motivations and institutional influences. Although overt gender disparities in programme enrolment are narrowing, motivational differences persist, particularly among male students. Contribution: The study offers actionable insights for gender-sensitive advising, inclusive programme design and strategic planning. The study supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4 and SDG 5) by promoting motivation-aware academic environments that foster informed, aspiration-driven choices.
Background: The increasing shift toward digital work and remote engagement within Africa’s largest open distance learning (ODL) institution highlights the need to understand how employee wellness influences career outcomes in digitally mediated academic environments. Objectives: This study aims to explore how digital, relational, and holistic wellness influence career satisfaction and career embeddedness among staff at a South African ODL institution. While global interest in employee well-being is increasing, there is still a significant lack of empirical research on how multidimensional wellness impacts career retention and satisfaction in African higher education contexts. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, using a stratified random sample of 840 employees. Data were analysed using correlation, multiple regression and Welch’s ANOVA to identify key predictors. Results: Employee relations wellness emerged as the strongest predictor of both career satisfaction and career embeddedness, followed by holistic wellness, career meaningfulness, and digital and career wellness. Gender differences were significant, with female employees reporting higher wellness levels across most constructs. Conclusion: Findings offer actionable insights for human resource (HR) practitioners and institutional leaders to enhance wellness strategies and improve staff retention. Contribution: The study presents a validated, context-specific framework linking wellness dimensions to career outcomes in a digitally evolving academic landscape.
This Table of Contents reflects the print compilation of peer-reviewed articles published in the journal. Each article listed was originally published online under the journal’s open access model and remains individually accessible and citable. This compilation has been created solely for print distribution, reference, and archival purposes. No new research content is introduced. The publisher affirms that all articles included in this compilation have undergone the journal’s standard editorial and peer-review processes.
Background: Academic career development (ACD) in the context of work intensification in speech-language pathology and audiology (SLP-A) academia has received limited attention in recent years. Higher education institutions, such as the University of Interest (UoI), provide support to developing academics. Yet, little is known about how female academics experience accessing ACD while simultaneously trying to cope with the demands of academic work intensification. The impact of ACD on work–life balance (WLB) is also unknown for SLP-A academics. Objectives: This study explores the experiences of ACD for female SLP-A academics at a South African university and the related impact on WLB. Methods: Eight purposively sampled SLP-A academics from the UoI participated in qualitative semi-structured interviews within a hermeneutic phenomenological design. The data generated were analysed thematically. Results: The UoI makes ACD support available to staff, with female academics experiencing more opportunities than their male counterparts. However, access to available ACD support was restricted by time constraints and a counterculture within the SLP-A disciplines. Work intensification further restricted ACD and led to poor WLB, with social life being compromised. Conclusion: There is a need to explore means to optimise the flow and accessibility of ACD opportunities from university leadership to the discipline level for female academics, with minimal interference from the disciplines. A stronger policy position to promote improved WLB is necessary. Contribution: This study provides a basis for discussing policy shifts concerning work intensification while supporting ACD and minimising the negative impact on WLB, particularly for developing female academics.
Background: Innovative urban development techniques are required in emerging economies because of the increased urbanisation, infrastructure deficiencies and environmental difficulties they face. With artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) support, smart cities may improve governance and optimise resource use, all of which contribute to sustainable growth. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine how policy frameworks driven by AI and IoT may facilitate adaptive and sustainable urban infrastructure in developing nations such as South Africa. Methods: In this study, a range of articles from the Science Direct, Scopus and Sabinet databases were consulted using the systematic literature review approach. Additionally, the inclusion and exclusion criteria are based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses framework. Results: Findings suggest that developing countries should create integrated frameworks for smart cities that match local implementation capabilities with national vision, to fill financial shortfalls, creative financing methods like technology-specific Public Private Partnership models and municipal funding need to be expanded. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that successful integration of AI and IoT into urban planning requires a fundamental change requiring strong, flexible policy frameworks rather than just a technology advancement. Such frameworks are crucial for emerging economies to use these technologies for sustainable and equitable infrastructure, guaranteeing that the development of smart cities promotes inclusive growth and long-term resilience. Contribution: This article adds to the conversation on sustainable urban development by putting out a thorough policy framework that uses both applications to improve adaptable infrastructure in smart cities in emerging economies.
Background: The ability to adjust to career transitions is becoming increasingly important because of rapid technological developments, which alter labour markets and workplace demands. Objectives: Within the framework of the career construction model of adaptation, we examined the relationships among core self-evaluation (adaptivity readiness), career adaptability (adaptability resources), and subjective career success (adaptation result). Methods: For this purpose, we used structural equation modelling (SEM), a cross-sectional design and sampled 242 employees from a higher education institution in South Africa. Results: The results showed that core self-evaluation is a powerful and reliable predictor of subjective job success across the eight categories. The growth and development subdimension was significantly impacted by career adaptability, but the impact on subjective career success was lower than expected. Conclusion: We found that psychological resources, especially core self-evaluation qualities such as emotional stability, self-efficacy and self-esteem, influence employees’ views of purposeful and a happy workplace. We recommend that adaptive readiness be developed through person-centred interventions or psychological therapies for boosting resilience and job satisfaction. By shifting the focus to internal psychological resources influencing career outcomes, especially in the context of higher education in South Africa, the study makes a theoretical and a practical contribution to career development literature. Recommendations for future research include exploring behavioural responses and longitudinal dynamics of career adaptation. Contribution: This study extends the career construction model by empirically validating the mediating role of career adaptability between core self-evaluation and subjective career success. It contributes to the understanding of how internal psychological resources shape adaptive career outcomes in higher education, offering evidence-based guidance for employee development and organisational career interventions.
Background: Student educational psychologists must learn to navigate the unfathomable depths of human experience with nuanced insight. However, a diagnostic checklist approach is increasingly dominating psychological practice, emphasising biomedical symptoms and subsequent pharmacological treatment above deeper psychological insight. A phenomenological approach to experience may serve as a buffer against the reductionist medicalisation of ordinary lifeworld matters. The genogram’s inherently embodied character renders it an appropriate teaching tool for developing phenomenological consciousness. Objectives: This article is a self-reflective narrative on how I propose using the career-focused genogram to increase phenomenological consciousness among student educational psychologists. Methods: This exploratory investigation used a self-reflective narrative research approach to understand the career-focused genogram as a pedagogical strategy to encourage phenomenological consciousness among student educational psychologists. Reflective teaching journal entries and teaching notes serve as the foundation for this investigation. Results: My teaching experiences using a Deweyan framework of analysis revealed three major themes: the genogram as a metaphorical function of the phenomenological orientation; the career-focused genogram as an integrated life-career ecology; and the self-constructed career-focused genogram as an embodied engagement activity. Conclusion: The career-focused genogram as an enactment of the phenomenological condition of embeddedness can be used to promote a pluralistic psychology education that values both scientific and philosophically orientated approaches towards understanding and appreciating the depth and nuance of matters related to the lifeworld. Contribution: This article offers a contextual perspective to existing literature on the importance of a philosophically orientated educational psychology curriculum as an alternative to a technicist diagnose-and-treat curriculum.
The European Union (EU)-supported Education for Employability (E4E) Technical Assistance project in South Africa aimed to enhance youth employability by aligning education, training and employment systems. In partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), it focused on cross-sector collaboration to strengthen pathways from learning to work, looking at the Three Streams Model in basic education, career guidance and development frameworks and systems, as well as bilateral labour agreements and a quota system. Contribution: The project promoted both strategic and operational alignment, with an emphasis on coordinated implementation to improve outcomes for young people transitioning through education and training into the labour market. Career development provided a unifying thread across the three sectors’ efforts.
Background: In higher education (HE), female academics frequently experience self-doubt, imposter syndrome and marginalisation, which can negatively impact their self-confidence. These challenges are intensified by systemic gender biases and exclusionary institutional cultures. Objectives: This study explores how two female academics situated within the South African HE context reclaimed their self-confidence through participation in an informal community of practice (CoP). It examines how relational and reflective support can contribute to academic identity formation and professional growth. Methods: Using collaborative autoethnography (CAE), the authors reflected on their lived experiences of navigating academic spaces. As both participants and co-researchers, they drew on personal narratives to explore the intersections of career confidence, institutional culture and gendered experiences. Framed by Moon’s Theory of Academic Assertiveness, Feminist Voice Theory and Feminist Praxis, the authors employed thematic analysis to identify and interpret key patterns within their reflections. Results: The study revealed five interrelated themes: (1) gendered barriers and structural inequity, (2) emotional toll and loss of confidence, (3) disrupted career trajectories, (4) the transformative potential of shared vulnerability and (5) the empowering role of a CoP. Informal peer support was found to be a powerful mechanism for enhancing confidence and fostering resilience. Conclusion: Self-confidence in academia is not a given but is shaped by institutional contexts and interpersonal support. While structural reforms are essential, grassroot communities of practice offer meaningful, affirming spaces for career development and self-empowerment. Contribution: This study highlights how informal, reflective partnerships can serve as tools for building self-confidence among female academics, offering valuable insights for career development, mentorship and institutional transformation.
Background: Millennials and Generation Z tend to constitute most of the employees in organisations, especially in entry-level positions. Given the ongoing changes in the workforce, having a younger, more aspirational and tech-savvy workforce can create enormous difficulties for both the company and the employees. Objectives: To investigate the relationship between flourishing and career well-being of employees in entry-level positions in selected private organisations in Windhoek. To investigate the relationship between flourishing and turnover intention of employees in entry-level positions in selected private organisations in Windhoek. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational research design was employed in this study. Through purposive sampling, 119 entry-level employees at selected private organisations in Windhoek, Namibia, participated. Results: Flourishing, which entails psychological, social and emotional well-being, positively and significantly correlates with career well-being of entry-level employees. Social well-being significantly impacts entry-level employees’ intentions to resign. Conclusion: When entry-level employees flourish, they thrive in their careers. As such, interventions focused on the emotional, social and psychological well-being of entry-level employees are crucial. Contribution: Organisations must enhance their human resources practices to ensure that entry-level employees’ well-being is safeguarded in the workplace.
Background: Despite progress in global campaigns supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and other (+) (LGBTQIA+) rights, many LGBTQIA+ employees continue to face discrimination, harassment and violence, especially in countries where same-sex relationships remain criminalised. In South Africa, although legal protections exist, societal and workplace challenges persist, particularly in industries such as telecommunications. Objectives: This study explored the lived workplace experiences of LGBTQIA+ employees in South African telecommunications companies, examining how organisational culture shaped inclusion and whether diversity and inclusion initiatives effectively supported them. Methods: A mixed-methods approach, grounded in queer theory and institutional theory, was used. Phase one involved reflective diaries with participants, followed by in-depth interviews. Phase two employed thematic analysis to identify patterns in participant experiences. Results: Findings revealed ongoing challenges, including discrimination, harassment and limited organisational support. Some participants resigned as a coping mechanism. Trust and psychological safety were significant. The industry’s reluctance to engage in the research also highlighted broader issues of openness and inclusion. Conclusion: The study provides empirical insights into the experiences of LGBTQIA+ employees in South Africa, highlighting systemic barriers to inclusion and organisational challenges in supporting diversity. Contribution: This research offers a conceptual framework informed by queer and institutional theory for understanding workplace inclusion. It contributes to Management, Business Ethics, and Sociology literature and provides recommendations for creating safer, more inclusive organisational environments, with a call for further research across other sectors.
Background: Making post-matric and career decisions is a significant challenge for rural high school learners in South Africa, where access to career assessments, information and professional guidance is limited. While urban schools increasingly benefit from career services, rural learners face persistent structural and informational barriers that negatively impact their career decision-making. Objectives: This study explores how Grade 12 learners at a rural high school in Mpumalanga, South Africa, perceive and navigate their post-matric career decisions. It focuses on the factors influencing their choices in a context marked by socio-economic constraints. Methods: A qualitative research design was used, drawing on focus group discussions and reflexive essays from 17 Grade 12 learners. Thematic content analysis and ATLAS.ti were used to analyse and present findings. Results: Most learners aspire to higher education as a pathway to social mobility, but face financial barriers and limited university access. Some seek immediate employment to support their families or save for further study, while others consider entrepreneurship because of high youth unemployment. While career guidance is important, many rural schools lack trained professionals and sufficient resources. Learners rely on peers, family and informal school initiatives for advice. Conclusion: Structural inequalities significantly shape learners’ post-matric choices and limit their access to informed career pathways, reinforcing cycles of disadvantage. Contribution: This study contributes to understanding rural youth career decision-making in South Africa and calls for enhanced career counselling, increased financial aid and support for vocational and alternative pathways.
Background: In South Africa, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is often promoted as a means to enhance employability. However, dominant policy frameworks tend to emphasise economic outcomes and labour market alignment, often neglecting the pedagogical dimensions crucial for empowering students. Objectives: This article aimed to critique the structural limitations of policy-driven TVET reforms and to foreground the importance of pedagogical transformation. It examined how critical, humanising pedagogies – drawing on Paulo Freire’s problem-posing approach – could bridge the gap between macro-level policy and micro-level teaching and learning experiences. Methods: The article employed a critical interpretive approach, informed by Paulo Freire’s pedagogy and Stephanie Allais’s structural critique of qualifications frameworks. Empirical data were drawn from a participatory action research (PAR) study involving 15 TVET graduates, whose post-study experiences illuminated the interplay between policy, pedagogy and career development. Results: Findings revealed that policy reforms alone were insufficient to achieve transformative outcomes. Graduates described how rigid, standardised curricula and competency-based assessments limited their agency and failed to prepare them for meaningful, adaptable and socially relevant careers. The data highlighted the need for dialogical, inclusive pedagogical practices that respond to students’ lived realities. Conclusion: Reimagining TVET requires more than structural reform – it demands pedagogical transformation rooted in student voice, critical engagement and social justice. Without this shift, TVET risks reinforcing existing inequalities rather than empowering students to access decent work and live dignified lives. Contribution: This article contributes to vocational education scholarship by offering a Freirean critique of South African TVET policy and pedagogy. It highlights the significance of linking structural reform to pedagogical change and argues for student-centred, participatory approaches that foster critical consciousness and career agency.
