When discussing the future, it is important to bring up the Fourth Industrial Revolution(4IR), which is one of those few exceptions.
However, in order for South Africa to have a prosperous digital future, it is necessary for to solve the ICT skills gap as well as the brain drain that seems to be an ongoing problem. ICT skills shortages were identified as the industry’s single most significant concern in 2020 by the Institute of Information Technology Professionals in South Africa (IITPSA) board members. This difficulty is expected to persist for the next 10 years.
To help South Africans get into ICT leadership programs, the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA), in partnership with the Wireless Access Providers Association of South Africa (WAPA) and the Wireless Application Service Providers Association (WASPA), has announced the launch of phase 1 of the ICT Skills Registry. This searchable database lists the profiles and skill sets of people who want to work in the ICT industry.
Challenges Facing the South African ICT Sector
Moira de Roche, the IITPSA Director and IFIP IP3 Chair, she said in a blog post that South Africa’s ICT sector is ‘alive and well’ and “We see a lot of innovators and entrepreneurs around 4IR technologies, and it is encouraging that some schools are now teaching subjects like robotics. Overall, the sector is in good shape,” she says. “However, we do need to do more to nurture talent and keep it in the country. ICT professionals are leaving South Africa, and one reason they do so is a crime. There is little the sector can do to change that, but organisations do need to be conscious of employees’ needs to develop their skills and not get left behind, and they need to reward them appropriately.
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How will the ICT Skills Registry work?
The Skills Registry is a sector-based project within the ICT industry associated with the National Skills Development Programme. Its primary objective is to provide a starting place for younger job seekers to receive skills development via internships or leadership.
Aurora Vani, Chairperson of ISPA’s Social Development working group, affirmed that “It is a critical priority for South African ICT companies to nurture nascent talent in the sector now or risk a chronic lack of human capital constraining growth later on,”
Candidates who have already registered will have the ability to submit their curriculum vitae, offer an enticing motivation explaining their aptitude and experience, and go through a questionnaire to pick their ICT skills and interests. Companies that want to offer full-time jobs, internships, or learnerships can search the database based on a specific ICT application or job description. They will also be able to search based on a candidate’s location to find people who live close by.
Ms Vani. added, “We are very excited to be launching this ICT skills development portal which provides potential employers with a simple and intuitive faceted search engine to locate nearby candidates matching their skills and demographic profile requirements. The Skills Registry will go a long way towards providing skills development and employment opportunities in the ICT sector,”.
How to Register for the ICT Skills Registry
Applicants who have intermediate or advanced IT skills and experience and want to work in the ICT industry or continue their education through the Skills Registry’s internship or leadership programs but don’t have enough work experience can click HERE or visit: https://skillsregistry.org.za