Are you still finding it hard to secure employment in South Africa even though you have matric, tertiary education, an undeniable skill or talent? I can imagine how frustrating that is, sometimes wonder if you must change careers or move abroad to get employment. Perhaps you didn’t know that there is a major demand for scarce skills in both the public and private sectors in South Africa, this is the time to know.

What is a scarce skill? 

A scarce skill is a competency that is highly lacking and needed in a certain industry of work. These are essential skills that are in demand to push economic growth in a country, but most people do not have the skills, hence ‘scarce skills’. 

Why is it important to earn a scarce skill? 

We understand the pressure to start thinking about your future when you get to matric or when finishing university. We are also understanding of the fact that not everyone makes it through matric or tertiary education, but should that be the case you have to have a plan for your future. 

It is important to define other things you are able to do besides the socially conventional jobs that society glorifies. For example, digital media and marketing is a big deal. Technological skills and chef skills are in demand as well, so you need to know which other skills to earn that will secure you employment in South Africa.

In the digital age we live in, there are a number of unusual job vacancies that have come to light. There are online jobs that young people can explore, for example copywriting and transcribing. Taking advantage of technology and the digital space can help fight youth unemployment. 

So what skills are in demand in South Africa that will guarantee you employment? 

Higher Education and Training, Innovation and Science Minister, Blade Nzimande made an important announcement last year about skills that South Africa is short of. According to Nzimande, many young people enter education programmes that the country is not short of and that is “breeding unemployment”, he emphasised. 

Here is the list of scarce skills required in South Africa where you are likely to get employed: 

• Actuary 
• Advertising Specialist 
• Aeronautical Engineer
• Agricultural Farm Manager 
• Application Development Manager 
• Architect 
• Chef
• Chief Information Officer 
• Civil Engineer 
• Data Scientist 
• Digital Artist 
• Dockmaster 
• Draughtsperson
• FEL College Principal 
• Fraud Examiner 
• General Accountant 
• General Medical Practitioner 
• Geologist 
• Geophysicist 
• Hydrologist
• CT project manager
• ICT security specialist
• ICT systems analyst
• Industrial Engineer 
• Internal Auditor
• Investment Advisor 
• Manufacturer 
• Mechanical Engineer 
• Multimedia Designer 
• Network Analyst 
• Quantity Surveyor 
• Registered Nurse 
• Web Developer

The full critical list of scarce skills is from the Department of Home Affairs and is available here, it would be of great help for you to look at it. 

Reasons why you must care about this information

As a young South African person it is important for you to understand the country’s current and future economic plans. 

You are aware of the very low employment and job creation levels we are facing, they have gone lower amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, you need to start thinking about choosing a career with a skills gap, so that you stand higher chances of getting a job. 

The CEO of Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa, Kaizer M Nyatsumba declared that, “developing and retaining key technical skills is essential if South Africa is to meet the challenge of building massive new infrastructure, while at the same time upgrading existing services”. 

So, this means making the decision to learn a scarce skill will not be a waste of your time. You will be securing a better future for yourself. 

You will also be playing a major role in bettering the country, if you think about it you might be the reason why a rural area has a road connecting its people to essential services. 

Additional idea for digitally-savvy youngsters

In the digital age we live in, there are a number of unusual job vacancies that have come to light. There are online jobs that young people can explore, for example copywriting and transcribing. Taking advantage of technology and the digital space can help fight youth unemployment.