Abstract
Background: Studies documenting the socioeconomic impact of education leading to employment of rural youth, specifically in the healthcare professions, are lacking. The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation (UYDF) is an NGO that provides financial support for rural students to train as healthcare professionals (HCPs) as a way of addressing staff shortages at rural hospitals. The aim of this study was to understand the social and economic impact on individuals and their families of qualifying as an HCP and being employed at a rural district hospitalMethodology: A mixed methodology was used to collect data from 40 graduates at eight district hospitals in rural KwaZulu-Natal province. The research tools had qualitative and quantitative questions, with additional data being extracted from the UYDF database. The qualitative data were analysed thematically, with STATA software being used for the quantitative analysis.Results: The findings indicate that graduate household assets increased significantly, as did their socioeconomic circumstances, compared with before they qualified as HCPs. Graduates attached high value to education that led to their employment, which provided them with money to afford assets. Having a permanent job and regular income also transformed their families’ lives, as they were able to care for their siblings and extended family members.Conclusions: Training rural youth for employment in scarce skills that leads to employment, such as a career in the health sciences, boosts their socioeconomic circumstances and that of their families. This contributes to the staffing of rural hospitals, job creation and the economic development of the country.
Highlights
Studies documenting the socioeconomic impact of education leading to employment of rural youth, in the healthcare professions, are lacking
As at December 2017, there were 337 Umthombo Youth Development Foundation (UYDF) graduates, of whom 187 were working in rural healthcare facilities, 11 were specialising, 45 were working in public healthcare facilities and 42 were doing their internship
Of the 142 eligible graduates at the eight rural hospitals that were included in the study, data were collected from 40 graduates
Summary
Studies documenting the socioeconomic impact of education leading to employment of rural youth, in the healthcare professions, are lacking. Conclusions: Training rural youth for employment in scarce skills that leads to employment, such as a career in the health sciences, boosts their socioeconomic circumstances and that of their families. This contributes to the staffing of rural hospitals, job creation and the economic development of the country. Other studies in low- and middle-income countries have identified a direct link between education, skilled people and overall national development.[6,7] This economic growth is attributed to innovation, an increase in human capital[8] and the increased earning capacity of those with post-school education.[9]
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