Why changes to occupational domains matter for artisanal skills planning in South Africa

Artisan training in South Africa has come under the spotlight to address a major gap in the labour market at the intermediate skills level and to contribute to social and economic development. To these ends, research in recent years to estimate the demand for artisanal skills and to assess the capacity of the supply side institutions to meet this demand (Mukora, 2009, Elliot, 2009, Kruss et al, 2012). While this information is of course necessary, it is not sufficient to inform successful planning and interventions. Mechanistic demand-supply calculations do not reflect the complex set of economic, political, technological and social dynamics shaping artisanal skills development in South Africa. This Policy Brief argues that we need a more nuanced understanding of the shifting boundaries of artisanal work and occupational domains. In particular, it presents two key findings emerging from research that evaluated changes to the nature of artisanal work across three trades in South Africa