Job skills and professionals needed in South Africa

Are you wondering what job skills you need to advance your career? While there is tough competition for employment, there are certain professions which are in demand in South Africa. IT and administration jobs offer good employment opportunities. Once you know what shortages there are you can take steps to develop your employability skills and find amazing jobs on Job Mail.

About the ManPower Group’s Talent Shortage Survey

The ManPower Group’s Talent Shortage Survey explores which job skills are in demand. Management and administrative jobs were listed as current shortages. The 2016/2017 Talent Shortage survey included responses from 423 000 employers. The survey results showed that employers are facing the highest international skills shortage since 2007.

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Forty percent of global companies report skills shortages. Companies are implementing training and development within their organization to deal with these shortages. These results show the importance of hiring staff who show learnability which refers to the interest and ability to develop new skills. Learnability is a vital trait of employees as it plays a role in their long-term performance in the company.

The main reason for the job skill shortage is a lack of available applicants. Global companies also reported that a lack of technical competencies also played a role in the shortage. Another reason that global companies can’t find the right employees to fill certain roles is a lack of experience in applicants.

most needed skills in south africa

Image Source: ManPower Group Website.

A significant proportion of the unfulfilled vacancies are due to potential applicants asking for a higher salary. A lack of workplace soft skills was also one of the main reasons global companies are experiencing a skills shortage.

Learn more by reading the 2016 – 2017 Talent Shortage Survey by the ManPower Group.

Talent and Job Skill Shortages in South Africa

To find out the top ten jobs that employers in South Africa are struggling to fill, take a look at the findings from the Manpower Group 2016/2017 Talent Shortage Survey. These highlight some great employability skills and might give you a couple ideas on where you can improve.

  • Skilled Trades
  • Management/Executive (Management/Corporate)
  • Secretaries, PAs, Receptionists, Administrative assistants and Office support staff
  • Engineers
  • Accounting and finance staff
  • Sales Representatives
  • Technicians
  • Drivers
  • Teachers
  • IT Personnel

Looking for jobs on Job Mail? Start by registering your CV online today!

Specific Job Skills need in South Africa

Before you start developing your job skills, let us take a look at the details of each profession that is in demand.

Driving Jobs

Employees are in demand to fill truck, delivery and construction driving jobs. Drivers spend most of their time traveling on the road. Depending on the position, drivers may be required to travel long or short distances. Delivery drivers are responsible for transporting goods from one location to another. Driving jobs may require irregular working hours and long distance travel may involve spending time away from home.

driving jobs in south africa

Drivers oversee the loading of cargo. They maintain logs and check documents which are related to their loads. They also play a role in vehicle maintenance. Drivers need to be reliable and mechanically minded.

IT Jobs

IT jobs, which South African companies are struggling to fill, include developers, programmers and database administrators. Software developers are tasked with developing programs which meet the requirements of the company which they are working for. They cover the areas of data access as well as enterprise technology.

Computer programmers are responsible for writing code for both software and operating systems. Not only are they tasked with writing code, they are also responsible for maintaining it. They are required to liaise with other computer staff members within the company. Problem solving and observation skills are vital for this position. Logical thinking is also required.

it jobs and skills

When it comes to sought-after job skills, IT jobs are high up on the list.

Engineering jobs

Mechanical, electrical and civil engineering jobs also need to be filled in South Africa. Mechanical engineers conduct research and analyse data. They are responsible for a wide range of design work which may include cars, devices and buildings.

engineering jobs and job skills

Not only do they design new devices, but they are also responsible for improving current devices. They work within budgets and are required to use computer aided draughting programs. Mechanical engineers are required to communicate with other specialists. To excel in engineering jobs you need to have superior maths and science capabilities. Analytical and problem solving skills are just some of the employability skills looked at.

Management Jobs

Senior and board level management jobs are need to be filled in South African companies. Managers need to have knowledge of all the departments within the organization. Their primary role is to oversee the efficient running of the company. They are responsible for keeping senior level staff members motivated so that they can make sure that the employees working under them are fulfilling their roles.

job skills in management

Managers ensure that the company is meeting their targets. This role involves researching goals as well as developing and implementing strategies to reach these goals. Problem solving, decision making and report writing are other tasks that are associated with this position. Management jobs require extensive experience in the industry that they are working in. Managers need superior communication, interpersonal and leadership job skills.

Sales Representative Jobs

There is a shortage of sales executives, sales advisors and retail sales personnel. The primary responsibility of sales representatives is to sell products and services. This may involve selling to individual clients or to other companies.

Typically sales representative jobs come with a small basic salary as well as commission on the sales that the representative makes. The advantage of this payment strategy is that if you are good at your job, you can earn a high income. It is important for sales representatives to have an in-depth understanding of the products that they are selling. They need to stay up-to-date with new products that their company introduces.

sales skills

To succeed in sales representative jobs you will need to take part in training. You will need to find new clients and develop relationships with them as well as maintaining relationships with current clients. Attending meetings and dealing with customer complaints are also part of this role. To succeed in sales you will need to be self-motivated and determined. Excellent communication and interpersonal job and employability skills are also required for this position.

Administration Jobs

Administration jobs are available across a wide range of industries. Administrative staff play an important role in company operations. The importance of this supportive role makes it easy to see why office jobs are listed as one of the top ten jobs that South African companies are struggling to fill. Secretaries, PAs and receptionists are in demand.

Administrative staff complete tasks which support other staff members and allow them to concentrate on their role in the company. Administrators are required to answer phones, take messages and respond to emails. They file and organise documents. Personnel in this role are tasked with basic bookkeeping as well as the maintenance of databases.

admin jobs and skills

Administrators type and edit documents. They use office machinery to complete their tasks including computers and printers. Efficiency as well as organisational skills are some of the vital job skills that administrators need. Employees in this position should have a friendly and professional demeanour.

Trade Jobs

Trade jobs such as electricians, plumbers and welders are in demand. Electricians install, maintain and repair electrical systems. They are responsible for designing electrical layouts according to the requirements of their clients, the design of the building and local regulations.

They order supplies and install electrical systems. They are also tasked with fixing wires, problem solving and testing. Electricians need to be good at working with their hands. They need to be trustworthy and observant.

Technician Jobs

Job skills that are lacking in South Africa include production, operations and maintenance technicians. Technician jobs require skilled personnel who carry out complex technical diagnostic assessments.

maintenance technicians

Technicians deal with complex systems. Superior mathematical skills are important for this role. Technician jobs require employees who can work accurately and fast with their hands. Physical stamina is required as this is a labour intensive role. Employees in this position are required to liaise with customers and supervisors. They are also responsible for record keeping.

Now that you know what job skills you need to develop your career, you can make sure that you get the right training. By gaining insight into what professional and employability skills are in demand, you can increase your chances of being hired.

Ready to find a new and exciting job? Register your CV and apply for jobs on Job Mail today! Don’t forget to download the Job Mail Android App or Job Mail iOS App for an on-the-go job hunting experience!

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Job skills and professionals needed in South Africa
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Job skills and professionals needed in South Africa
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Are you wondering what job skills you need to advance your career? There are most certainly professions that are in demand in South Africa.
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