UNIVERSUM RESEARCH
As world-renowned experts in employer branding, Universum Global is present in more than fifty markets globally where it conducts extensive research amongst students and young professionals. In 2015 Universum expanded this research into five African markets; Algeria, Morocco, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. The recently released 2016 results for these regions highlights fascinating insights into the minds of young Africans.
The research was conducted between November 2015 and June 2016 across the Business, Engineering/ IT, Natural Sciences, Health Medicine, Humanities, and Law sectors. In Nigeria the research included 6,124 respondents at 27 universities, in Ghana 2,162 respondents at 20 universities and in Kenya 5,062 respondents at 24 universities.
Kenyan students are very clear in their future goals across all industries with a creative and innovative work environment topping the list for both the Business and Engineering sectors. Similarly, across sectors, students, like their West African counterparts, are looking for training and development and the opportunity to be entrepreneurial and creative in the workplace. This sub-Saharan trend contrasts with trends in Morocco that show more of an emphasis on work-life balance and opportunities for travel. Kenyan students, compared to their West African counterparts put an overall focus on innovation and success, as opposed to money which is the main priority for Nigerian and Ghanaian students.
Within the research there were also some marked changes from trends in 2015 with students in the Business sector showing a massive increase in their desire for leadership opportunities, with the goal of being a leader or a manager moving from the 7th place ranking in 2015 to 2nd place in 2016. The desire for a work-life balance and to do good both slightly dropped in the goal rankings as did the goals of being intellectually challenged and job security.
Within the Engineering and Technology sectors, similar changes were found, with the desire to lead or manage people also moving up significantly in the rankings from last place (9th) to 5th place. Striking a different note to their business counterparts, and more in line with first world and Moroccan trends, these students have increased the importance of a work life balance which moved from the 7th spot in 2015 to 4th in 2016. Similar to their Business counterparts, these students have also put less of a focus on being intellectually challenged and job security.
The research in Africa also reveals distinctive trends compared to Universum’s research in Europe and the USA, “Young talent in Sub-Saharan Africa have very different priorities compared to young talent in for example Europe and the USA. They are less focused on achieving work life balance and more interested in starting their own business and being the drivers of the own success. The implications of this for businesses are massive and those that manage to foster a sense of entrepreneurship and provide dynamic and innovative opportunities for young people are sure to be the winners in the war for talent” says country manager for Universum South Africa, Jenali Skuse.
Universum’s research across Africa is highlighting a number of insights that employers looking to do business across the continent need to take into account when reaching out to talent. It is clear that although there may be similarities across regions, every country has its own unique characteristics that need to be understood.
For more information www.universumglobal.com
