These are the IT skills that South African companies are struggling to find
Microsoft, in collaboration with the International Data Corporation, has published new research on the future of work in South Africa and some of the most in-demand digital skills in the country.
Speaking at an event in Johannesburg on Wednesday (19 February), Mark walker, associate vice-president of the IDC, said that currently the biggest challenge in acquiring these skills comes less from a lack of qualifications, but more from a general lack of expertise.
To meet this growing concern, companies are relying on hiring experienced workers from their own or other industries, he said.
“These companies are not looking for qualifications, they are looking for expertise – which are two mutually exclusive areas. A student or a young person who comes out of university with a degree but can’t find a job, and this highlights a lot of issues.”
Walker said that when companies are asked about where they get these expertise, companies say they typically poach them from their competitors.
“It’s the same group of guys who work for competitors until they reach a salary ceiling and then they leave the country for Silicon valley. On the way, we lose these skills and also the contribution they make to the tax base.”
Currently needed lacking skills
Currently the biggest skills gap lies in security-related and data protection skills – a reflection of the heightened awareness among businesses about the increasing threat of cyber crime.
While 53% of companies say they already lack this necessary skill set, 59% expect to need more security specialists in just two years’ time.
Following closely behind is the demand for cloud computing skills as indicated by 49% of companies.
This demand for cloud skills is expected to grow significantly over the next two years, with 68% of companies saying they are likely to need more cloud specialists in future, Microsoft said.
Skills likely to be needed in the future
“The biggest jump in skills requirements will be in Robotic process automation (a key enabler for DX) with a 22% jump in terms of today’s requirements (26%) and future requirements (47%),” Microsoft said.
“Given cloud’s dominance in terms of current deployment (76%), it is no surprise that there is a significant need for cloud skills today (49%) that will continue in the future (68%).”
Read: The most in-demand job skills in South Africa right now
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