The most popular degree combinations in SA right now if you are looking for a job

There is a growing trend among South African students and graduates to mix and match qualifications and stand out in the job market, according to a new report by the The Independent Institute of Education.

“Savvy jobseekers understand that the job market is tough, but that they are not completely helpless in the face of this reality, and that they do have some power to elevate their candidacy over that of others with the same qualification,” notes Wonga Ntshinga, Senior Head of Programme: ICT at The Independent Institute of Education.

According to Ntshinga this is especially true given South Africa’s current job market and the current unemployment rate of 27.7% growing quarterly.

“This means that not only are people losing jobs, but the number of graduates looking for work has increased,” he said.

“Because jobseekers have to continuously equip themselves with more skills, experience and education, we are increasingly seeing students and alumni wide-skilling, by opting to do an additional course to broaden their existing field of competence.”

Citing the recent Future of Jobs report released by the World Economic Forum, Ntshinga  noted that the most sought-after skills in the workplace – what they term 21st Century Skills – include complex problem solving, critical thinking, people management and coordination with others, judgment and decision making and cognitive flexibility.

“In order to be competent, but more importantly, to be able to demonstrate competency in these areas to future employers, broadening one’s field of expertise is vital,” said Ntshinga.

“No amount of sound technical and theoretical understanding will suffice in the world of work, without a solid repertoire of complementary skills which demonstrate range, versatility and resilience,” he said.

With that in mind, Ntshinga highlighted some of the most popular qualifications combinations.

BA Degree + Finance for non-financial managers

“This combination offers an employer the very attractive package of a candidate with strong thinking, reasoning and expressive skills combined with a grounding in the hard business skills required for any leadership position,” said Ntshinga.

BCom/BSc (Computer Science) + Project Management/Communication
BCom/BSc + Business Writing/Introduction to PR

“These combos show that a candidate can plan, initiate, execute and manage a team in a project within budget and time contracts, or has the communication skills to influence team members, clients and other stakeholders to achieve the company’s goals,” he noted.

“Adding writing skills to your competencies proves that you know how to conduct and write business documents and, as the need arises, to present the company internally or externally to important stakeholders.”

BA/BEd Degree + Instructional Design Online Course

“This combination demonstrates that you can help subject matter experts improve the learning experience of students by leveraging the most potent combination of educational theory with everything technology can provide.”

“Almost all educational companies and corporate training divisions want instructional designers to ensure they offer effective learning – to have one that also has a strong educational background or grounding in the expressive skills of the Humanities enables these institutions to easily out-compete others.”

BSc + Brand/Marketing Management Short

“Not only do you understand the world of science and your technical field, but you also understand brand building, marketing, communication and the need for creativity and innovation, which is vital for any company to ensure its growth and sustainability.”

Any Degree + Additional Languages

“Whether a local or foreign language, being able to at least converse with and understand people from another culture will always broaden horizons and understanding, and will serve as a valuable addition to your CV.”

Read: UCT still South Africa’s top university – but there’s a new number two