Social media strikes again. No, I’m not talking about the fun-loving mom who donned a Chewbacca mask from Kohl’s and videotaped herself laughing hysterically. I’m talking about a desperate graduate with a chemical engineering degree searching for a job in South Africa.
According to a BBC News article, Anthea Malwandle, who earned her degree at the South Africa’s Vaal University of Technology (VUT) in 2015, took to a street corner in Johannesburg with a cardboard sign in hopes that she could best the country’s 26.7% unemployment rate. Several people snapped pictures of her and posted her plea to social media.
"After job hunting for more than a year, I wondered if all the money and hard work spent on tertiary education were worth it," Malwandle told a local radio station. Thanks to the publicity, a number of prospective employers phoned in, offering her a job.
Of South Africa's estimated 5 million people who are unemployed, 3.5 million are under 35, more than 170,000 of them, including Malwandle, are university graduates.
Traci Purdum is Chemical Processing’s senior digital editor. She thanks her lucky stars that she landed a job right out of college. You can email her at [email protected].
