“Waiting for the Right Time”: What Woman Studied vs the Job She’s Doing Leaves SA Disappointed

• A young woman shared a video comparing her Bachelor of Education degree from Nelson Mandela University with the job she was doing
• Despite graduating with a teaching qualification, she was working in a store while waiting for an opportunity in her field
• South Africans flooded the comments with advice and encouragement, and their own similar stories

A young woman shared an honest and relatable video on 6 December 2025 that had thousands of South Africans feeling emotional. TikTok user @life_of_rone showed how she got her Bachelor of Education degree in Foundation Phase teaching from Nelson Mandela University. Then she shared footage of the job she was doing in December. She worked in a retail store, packing shelves. The video was not bitter, but it was real, and it opened up a conversation that many graduates in South Africa have been having privately for years.

The good news is that she has since found work as an educator, which means the degree was not wasted. But the gap between finishing her studies and landing a teaching post was long enough to send her into retail just to get by.

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Why SA graduates end up doing unrelated work

South Africa produces thousands of education graduates every year, but the number of available teaching posts has not kept up. Many qualified teachers spend years waiting for a permanent post, taking on temporary or part-time work in the meantime just to survive.

The unemployment rate among young graduates is still one of the highest in the world. Teaching is one of the fields where the gap between qualification and employment is something many face.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

SA reassures the woman who studied

Mzansi shared their support and love for TikToker @life_of_rone with words of hope and motivation:

@Miss Anthony👑 advised:

"I'm sorry to hear this, but it's been too long. Not even SGB posts? Spread your wings and come to the Western Cape 😁"

@Byran said:

"Ja ne, we only have us. The government is failing people in general 💔"

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Man mocks value of degree after seeing university student while driving luxury car in video

@tasqeen shared:

"I graduated with my BEd in 2020. Worked in retail for four years. I just finished my first year in a teaching post, please don't give up 🥺"

@Mikayle Fayleen suggested:

"Consider doing a special needs education certificate or sign language certificate. I've seen a lot of posts for foundation phase educators with those certificates. God's timing is perfect ✨"

@Raf_Raf advised:

"Get your RE5 and go into the insurance industry; your degree qualifies as a full qualification."

@your_boy_mojo encouraged:

"God has allowed you to get a degree, but he is waiting for the right time to bless you with the job. Just keep praying and having patience."

More on SA graduates and the job market struggle

• Briefly News reported on a man who used his luxury car to spark a debate about university degrees.
• South Africa's minimum wage increased in March 2026, and what a domestic worker said about what it means for her family was eye-opening.
• A deep look into South Africa's employment crisis revealed just how many graduates are sending out CVs with no response.

Source: Briefly News