A critical analysis of partnerships between public higher education institutions and the retail sector in KwaZulu-Natal

Retail industries are one of the major contributors to the gross domestic product (GDP) and an employment hub that encounters recruitment challenges in a competitive world. A common factor relating to these challenges is the failure to attract skilled employees to occupy vacant positions. A viable prospect is for higher education institutions to establish partnerships with the sector. This study; therefore, aims to investigate the role of partnerships between public higher education institutions and the retail sector in KwaZulu-Natal Province. It does so by outlining the key success factors influencing partnerships, identifying skills relevant to the retail sector, and determining how to build and strengthen partnerships between higher education and the retail sector. The study conforms to the pragmatic paradigm, assuming an exploratory descriptive and cross-sectional mixed methods approach. Using descriptive and inferential tests, quantitative data were generated from a survey of 80 exit-level students as well as store managers representing 128 retail stores in KwaZulu-Natal Province. Qualitative data was yielded from interviews and focus group discussions with general managers, regional managers and retail floor supervisors. The overall findings demonstrated that relationships between education and retail require further strengthening. The main findings show that the transition process for graduates from universities to the labour market is challenging due to the misalignment of skills. The passive approach of stakeholders’ is regarded as key to skill misalignment, necessitating crucial intervention. The study recommends significant structured engagement between the sectors to allow a smoother transition into the labour market through the availability of skilled personnel. The study provides a framework for effective partnerships to guide industry partners, academics, and policy developers in establishing and managing partnerships between education institutions and the retail sector.