Experience tops wish list as SA ICT skills shortage persists

South African employers report significant skills shortages in the fields of information security/cybersecurity, artificial intelligence/ machine learning, big data/data science, data storage, DevOps, and systems design. They are prioritising professional experience as an important attribute when selecting candidates. Meanwhile, local ICT practitioners increasingly seek remote opportunities with clients and employers overseas.

These are among the key findings of the 2024 Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) ICT Skills Survey, prepared by Africa Analysis and sponsored by Software One Experts SA. The survey polled employers and ICT practitioners across South Africa.

Top in-demand skills

The 2024 survey revealed that 46% of organisations are currently prioritising information security/cybersecurity, 32% prioritise Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and 19% have made big data/data science a priority. These areas are also experiencing the greatest skills shortages.

27% of employers have current AI/ML skills shortages, with 32% expecting shortages in AI/ML skills in the future. 19% reported current skills shortages in data science, 22% in data storage, 27% in information security/cyber security, 20% in DevOps, 19% in systems design, and 19% in Business Intelligence.

Not-for-profit organisations and state-owned enterprises seem to exhibit some notable differences in their ICT priorities and practices compared to enterprises in other sectors. State-owned enterprises prioritise technologies such as AI and ML, while not-for-profit organisations focus more on social media.

There has also been a shift in the most popular programming languages among respondents, with Python emerging as the programming language most respondents use in their organisations, followed by JavaScript, Java, SQL and C#. Java, previously ranked as the programming language used by most respondents, was relegated to third position for the first time since 2012.

Brain drain worsens skills gap

The study finds that a lack of adequate training, an insufficient pool of new graduates, and an ongoing brain drain are exacerbating the skills gap.

24% of employers pointed to the migration of skilled labour from South Africa as a factor contributing to skills shortages. A further 24% cited insufficient numbers of new graduates. 26% said a lack of training and education at the basic level was the cause of skills shortages, and 21% said rapid technological change was impacting skills demand and supply. 65% said skills gaps moderately or highly impacted their businesses.

Among practitioners, 49% consider working remotely for an employer or client overseas, 9% plan to do so, and 11% already do so. 8% describe themselves as digital nomads.

Experience in demand

Africa Analysis says graduate degrees have given way to professional experience in the 2024 and 2022 ICT Skills Surveys as the most highly ranked attribute of potential recruits. In this year’s survey, 47% of employers ranked experience as a key attribute for potential candidates, followed by 32% citing a graduate degree.

Africa Analysis SA MD Hloni Mokenela says: “In earlier editions of the skills survey, corporates had indicated a preference for academic training as the main attribute they used when selecting new candidates. However, my professional experience has been picked well ahead of the rest recently. This was partly due to graduates produced by the education system not being considered ‘job-ready’ and lacking some softer business, non-technical skills.”

Filling the gaps

The percentage of respondents who reported recruiting staff from overseas dropped to 36% in 2024, down from 50% in 2022, and over half (56%) of corporates do not outsource their ICT functions to overseas resources.

To retain skilled staff and build capacity, employers are offering professional development programmes and performance bonuses, followed by flexible schedules and increased basic pay. The study found that flexible schedules have become the most used policy offered by 44% of employers. 41% use development programmes, with employers saying they prefer online training platforms and academic institutions to meet their staff development needs through short courses.

Practitioners are also taking charge of their own professional development: At least 38% of respondents rely on online training platforms such as Coursera, Skillshare, and Udemy, with some pursuing professional certifications (25%) and vendor certifications (20%) to improve their technical skills. 97% of respondents felt they needed to reskill themselves because of the changing digital environment.

For new recruitment, 23% of employers look to Universities of Technology, 21% to universities, 19% use employment agencies, and 9% seek recruits from private training providers. A further 9% source new talent from Web/Internet platforms such as LinkedIn.

Education & training to stay relevant

IITPSA CEO Tony Parry says, “As we have seen in previous Skills Surveys, the lack of progress in broadening STEM education and training programmes not linked to employment continues to contribute to the skills gap challenges.”

The latest survey indicates a need for coordinated efforts to make candidates more work-ready when they enter the labour force and more qualified educators to help academic institutions produce a larger pipeline of ICT professionals. While numerous training and upskilling schemes and many providers offer certifications and qualifications, these initiatives are not creating the required skills resources.”

Mokenela adds, ” Practitioners and corporations accept the need for ICT professionals to continuously invest in updating and refreshing their skills in order to remain relevant. While most corporations and practitioners seem to favour a tertiary qualification to provide foundation skills, short courses from online platforms and tertiary institutions are preferred for helping to keep upgrading their skills.”