Thousands of graduates are spending so long waiting for jobs that their skills risk becoming outdated before they get an opportunity to use them.
That is one of the findings of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC)’s Annual Priority Skills Report 2026, which highlights limited job openings, slow economic growth and a growing mismatch between the qualifications produced by the education system and the skills demanded by employers.
HRDC says engagements and submissions from stakeholders show that most industries have limited job openings because of slow economic growth, resulting in low manpower requirements.
The result, it says, is a vicious cycle for graduates. With fewer jobs available, young people remain unemployed for extended periods and, by the time opportunities emerge, their skills may no longer match what employers require.
The report states: “Graduates’ waiting period for employment is too long because of limited job opportunities, and their skills become outdated.”
The problem is compounded by the nature of qualifications being produced. HRDC says most graduates are generalists, while industry increasingly requires specialised skills.
The Council attributes this partly to government sponsorship patterns, arguing that the state, as the main sponsor of tertiary education, has focused heavily on general qualifications.
The result is a labour market in which thousands of people may hold certificates and degrees but lack the specialised competencies demanded by employers.
HRDC’s human-resource planning framework identifies the mismatch between graduate supply and labour-market demand as a major contributor to graduate unemployment.
The Council also points to inadequate industry exposure among trainers and students.
Employers have raised concerns about the quality of graduates produced by some education and training providers, with HRDC linking some of these concerns to insufficient exposure to actual workplace environments.
The report further identifies human-resource management problems, including remuneration issues, vacancies and budget constraints, as obstacles to skills development.
It also warns that Botswana is failing to adequately transfer indigenous knowledge between generations because of an entrenched perception that learning must take place in formal classrooms.
HRDC is therefore calling for a fundamental shift from qualification-driven education towards skills-based training.
The objective is to move away from a system in which young people are primarily educated to look for employment and towards one that equips them for entrepreneurship, job creation, research, development and innovation.
The Council wants faster implementation of Science, Technology, Research, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education.
It also recommends rationalising TVET programmes and institutions and establishing centres of excellence focused on emerging and future skills, including digital and green skills.
Industry simulations should be introduced to give students practical workplace experience, while private-sector participation in curriculum development and training should be strengthened.
HRDC further recommends greater use of trainer and student attachments to bridge the gap between classrooms and workplaces.
The Council wants government sponsorship redirected towards priority skills identified under NDP12 and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), rather than continuing to produce large numbers of graduates in already saturated fields.
The report says Botswana’s future economy will increasingly demand skills in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and specialised health and education services.
It also identifies tourism, agriculture and creative industries as sectors requiring technological modernisation and stronger value chains.
