Your boss can expect a knock on his door if your occupation is one of the top ten most scarce occupations listed below. To thank me for the heads up you may leave me a small farm!
Jobs are scarce in today’s labour market. What plan can you make to ensure you find a job? The answer is to study for a scarce skill!
A list containing the top 100 occupations in South Africa that are in short supply has been released for comment by the Department of Higher Education and Training. This list, which will be updated every two years, will be used to inform South Africa’s human resource planning and funding allocation, programme development, and immigration strategies.
The provision of education and training in South Africa has not been aligned with the needs of the economy and that of society. South Africa’s growing skills crisis has been highlighted in many publications and this has been identified as an impediment to growth and development, as well as service delivery.
The purpose of the top 100 list is to inform:
- human resource planning and development;
- resource allocation and prioritisation;
- the development of relevant qualifications, programmes and curricula; and
- international recruitment strategies.
Sandra Dunn, INSETA CEO welcomed the gazetting of the list and said that it had been compiled from a wide range of information sources which included INSETA’s Scarce and Pivotal Skills Lists. Occupations that are scarce in each of the 21 sectors represented by the SETA’s were taken into account in compiling the list. However users must bear in mind that more points were awarded to an occupation if it was identified across a number of sectors as scarce, and had also been identified in other documents like the National Development Plan (NDP); The Department of Labour’s Job Opportunities and Employment Report (JOUR); and Career Junction’s Salary and Wage Report.
It is not surprising to see scarce insurance sector professions like Finance Manager, ICT Systems Analyst, Actuary and Financial Investment Manager make the top 100 list, as these are professions that are in high demand in the broader financial sector. SETA’s will use the list to guide their funding allocation for bursaries, learnerships, internships and artisan training. Learners who are making subject choices for higher education must be given career guidance counselling on the top 100 scarce skill occupations. Occupations which require subjects like mathematics, science and IT dominate the top 100 scarce skills.
A key driver of employment in the short term will be government’s investment of R827 billion in building new and upgrading existing infrastructures over the next 3 years. The work has been organised into 18 Strategic Intergrated Projects (SIPS) which is intended to improve access by South Africans to healthcare facilities, schools, water, sanitation, housing and electrification, construction of ports, roads, railway systems, electricity plants, hospitals, schools and dams. Skills shortages identified in SIPs are concentrated in the engineering and built environment occupations. A shortage of engineers, technologists, technicians and artisans has been identified.
Top 10 scarce skills list in South Africa
- Electrical Engineer
- Civil Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Quantity Surveyor
- Programme or Project Manager
- Finance Manage
- Physical and Engineering Science Technicians
- Industrial and Production Engineers
- Electrician
- Chemical Engineer
The Department of Home Affair could draw from this top 100 list to compile a “critical skills list” to facilitate the issuing of work visas. For a full list of the top 100 skills visit www.inseta.org.za
Sharon Snell is Chief Operations Officer of INSETA.
The National Scarce Skills List published in the Government Gazette Nr 37678, Notice 380 of 2014 listed these occupations as scarce skills:
MANAGERS
Manufacturing Managers
Engineering Manager
Power Generation Operations Manager
Project Manager
Construction Project Manager
Medical Superintendent/Public Health manager
Franchise/Small Business Manager
Hotel Manager
Sales and Marketing Manager
Research and Development Manager
Human Resource Manager
Environmental Manager
Production Manager
Health and Safety Manager
General Manager of a company
Retail Manager.
PROFESSIONALS
Architects
Designers
Planners and Surveyors:
Architects
Land Surveyor
Town and Regional Planner.
Education and Training Professionals:
Accounting teacher
Agriculture teacher
Business Studies teacher
Computer Studies Teacher
Electrical technology teacher
Engineering design teacher
Hospitality Studies teacher
Mathematical Literacy teacher
Mathematics teacher
Mechanical Technology teacher
Physical Science teacher
Tourism teacher.
Engineering Professionals:
Electrical Engineer
Civil Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Industrial and Production Engineers
Chemical Engineer
Energy Engineer
Materials Engineer
Metallurgical Engineer
Ship Engineer
Telecommunication Engineer
Environmental Engineers
Computer Network and Systems Engineer.
Finance Professionals:
Accountant
Auditor (external)
Actuary.
Health Professionals:
Clinical nurse
Registered nurse (Aged Care
Child and Family Health
Community Health
Critical Care and Emergency
Developmental Disability
Disability and rehabilitation
Medical and Surgical
Medical practice
Mental health
Pre-operative
Surgical)
Nursing Educator
Nurse researcher
Nurse Manager
Medical Doctor
hospital pharmacist
Medical Scientist
Information and Computer Professionals:
Software developers
Programme analyst
Developer Programmer
Computer Network Technician
Network Analyst
Chief Information Officer.
Natural and Physical Science Professionals:
Geologists
Veterinarians
marine Biologist
Conservation Scientist
Environment Scientist.
TECHNICIANS
Chemical and physical Science Technician
Chemistry technician
Computer Technician
Physical Science Technician
Civil Engineering Technician
Surveying or cartographic Technician
Town Planning Technician
Electrical Engineering Technician
Energy Efficiency Technician
Electronic Engineering Technician
Mechanical Engineering Technician
Mining Technician
Geophysical Technician
Aeronautical Engineering Technician
Chemical Engineering Technician
Mining and Metallurgical Technician
Rock Engineering Technician
Draughts person
Forensic Technician
Fire investigator
Food and beverage Technician
Environmental Engineering Technician
Manufacturing Technician
ARTISANS
Electrician
Millwright
Boiler maker
Fitter and Turner
Carpenter and Joiner
Welder
Plumber
Toolmaker
Diesel mechanic
Electronics Instrument Trades Worker
Air-conditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber
Automotive Electrician
Automotive Motor Mechanic
Pressure Welder
PLASTIC PRODUCTS MACHINE OPERATORS
Plastic Cable Making Machine Operator
Plastic Compounding and Reclamation Machine Operator
Plastics Fabricator or Welder
Plastics Production Machine Operator
Rotational Moulding Operator
Plastics Manufacturing Machine Minder
Reinforced Plastics and composite Trades Worker.
EARTHMOVING AND RELATED PLANT OPERATORS
Earthmoving Plant Operator
Backhoe Operator
Bulldozer Operator
Excavator Operator
Grader Operator
Loader Operator
Mulcher Operator
Tunneling Machine Operator
Mobile Explosives Manufacturing Unit Operator
Scraper Operator
Dragline Operator
Railway track Master
Road Roller operator
Dump Truck Operator
Alan Straton
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An emailed comment from Lance: Morning Alan. I don’t know what criteria was used in the compiling of the (lack of) skills, but I am sceptical of the result. There is simply not the work available to absorb any number of engineers. What about doctors and other medical fields? Perhaps they are referring to the low percentage of black graduates in these fields – where the black drop-out figures are highest.