Grass is greener overseas, say students

The grass is greener on the other side‚ say South Africa’s potential graduates who plan to pursue their careers abroad.

More than 50% of students who were interviewed in a survey by PPS said they would move overseas to ply their trade after graduating.

The Student Confidence Index (SCI) was conducted among 1500 students who have been studying for four or more years at a university or university of technology towards a profession-specific degree‚ such as engineering‚ medicine and law.

PPS technical marketing specialist Motshabi Nomvethe said one of the reasons given for wanting to leave the country was to secure employment opportunities.

Nomvethe said the prospective graduates also cited difficulties with pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities‚ along with the political and economic turbulence affecting South Africa.

“Is the market conducive enough for them to become entrepreneurs? Most of the respondents feel they don’t have those skills‚” Nomvethe said.

But it’s not all gloom and sad news‚ according to Nomvethe.

“Some said they would return. A survey by the Home-Coming Revolution indicated that more and more South Africans have been coming back.”