{"id":774049,"date":"2024-05-28T08:49:46","date_gmt":"2024-05-28T06:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=774049"},"modified":"2024-05-28T10:28:30","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T08:28:30","slug":"sa-needs-to-narrow-its-skills-gap-deputy-director-of-ups-centre-for-the-future-of-worksa-needs-to-narrow-its-skills-gap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/industry-news\/774049\/sa-needs-to-narrow-its-skills-gap-deputy-director-of-ups-centre-for-the-future-of-worksa-needs-to-narrow-its-skills-gap\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018SA needs to narrow its skills gap\u2019 \u2013 Deputy Director of UP\u2019s Centre for the Future of Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>By Dr Olebogeng Selebi, Deputy Director: Centre for the Future of Work at the University of Pretoria<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The future of work is rapidly evolving due to technological advancements and shifting economic landscapes. As we stand on the brink of a new era, adapting to these changes is imperative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.up.ac.za\/news\/post_3230880-up-expert-opinion-sa-needs-to-narrow-its-skills-gap-deputy-director-of-ups-centre-for-the-future-of-work?utm_source=BusinessTech&amp;utm_medium=Article+&amp;utm_campaign=May+2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Click here to read more from Dr Selebi.<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Institute of the Future, a US-based think tank, 85% of jobs that today\u2019s students will hold by 2030 have not yet been created. This highlights the need for a workforce that is equipped with the skills to thrive in a dynamic environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In South Africa, this reality is evidenced by a recent drop in the graduate unemployment rate from 10.6% in the first quarter of 2023 to 9.6% in the second quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>South African employers are particularly concerned about the lack of proficiency in core skills such as communication, socio-emotional intelligence, digital literacy and mental flexibility among employees and new hires. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The labour market increasingly values soft skills like leadership, communication, conflict resolution, interpersonal skills, teamwork and time management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The importance of these skills is universally acknowledged. Initiatives are in progress to standardise the teaching, assessment and recognition of these skills within post-secondary education and workplace training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant skill gaps, particularly in digital skills and remote work, which employers believe pose a barrier to technological adoption and productivity growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The digital migration of skills has enabled talent to contribute to global economies virtually, breaking geographical barriers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This issue is not new in Africa, particularly South Africa, where skilled workers are less likely to return due to factors beyond salary expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This exodus worsens the skills gap, impacting productivity, economic growth and social equity. The continent must align educational output and upskilling programmes with industries for growth to retain skilled workers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The effective retention of skilled labour requires shared responsibility between governments and employers. Companies must also drive worker autonomy, invest in continuous learning, and prioritise employee well-being and mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Addressing the skills gap requires a comprehensive and strategic approach that involves multiple stakeholders, including the government, educational institutions, the private sector and civil society. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Educational institutions should incorporate technical and soft skills into their curricula, fostering collaboration between industries and educational bodies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Private companies can play a crucial role in designing and delivering relevant training programmes, ensuring that graduates are job-ready and relevant to market needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Promoting a culture of continuous learning and professional development is essential. Incentives for employers to invest in upskilling their workforce can help bridge the skills gap within organisations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Online learning platforms and flexible training modules can make upskilling more accessible. Initiatives of this nature ensure that skills development is more inclusive and equitable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Programmes must address historical inequalities and provide targeted support to marginalised groups, fostering a more inclusive workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bridging the skills gap is not just about meeting job market demands \u2013 it\u2019s about building a foundation for long-term prosperity and equity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>South Africa can achieve this by investing in education, training and continuous learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today\u2019s choices will shape the country\u2019s trajectory in the global economy, and through proactive collaboration and forward-thinking strategies, we can navigate challenges and seize future opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/centrefow.com\/dr-olebogeng-selebi\/?utm_source=BusinessTech&amp;utm_medium=Article&amp;utm_campaign=May+2024\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.up.ac.za\/?utm_source=BusinessTech&amp;utm_medium=Article&amp;utm_campaign=April+2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">For more information on Dr Selebi, click here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dr Olebogeng Selebi of the University of Pretoria says it is critical that the government and employers work together to shrink the local skills gap.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":774050,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10459],"tags":[19962,8393],"class_list":["post-774049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry-news","tag-dr-selebi","tag-university-of-pretoria"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=774049"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":774150,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774049\/revisions\/774150"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/774050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=774049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=774049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=774049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}