Choosing a career is the most important decision in life. It is more about deciding what You will do to make a living for the rest of your life. So, you need to find an industry that works for you and work towards getting the skills needed for the job.
Learning about skills that are in demand is essential in deciding what to pursue in college.
The recent dynamic working environment also Demands a proper understanding of skill relevance in modern applications.
Talent and passion are not sufficient enough for a career. You need to learn more skills.
How?
Education.
Getting into college to further your education is the first big step in gaining the skills necessary for a good career. You can do a degree program, short courses, or a diploma—endeavour to research the college and study at an accredited University.
Do internships in companies that relate to your chosen career path. This will help you get training and first-hand experience. Internships give you a feel for what you will do for the rest of your life.
Work with a Mentor.
The easiest and most rapid way to succeed in your career is to get a mentor, someone who is a professional in the field of your interest. Having a mentor is motivating and gives you an inside perspective on the day-to-day processes of your job.
The unemployment rate in South Africa is high, and there are no sufficient candidates with qualified skills for available career opportunities.
The sectors below provide examples of career areas. For official demand evidence, consult DHET’s National List of Occupations in High Demand and current sector reports; this article is not a ranked or exhaustive vacancy list.
Information And Communication Technology
Information and communication technology covers several occupations; demand varies by role, location and experience.
Various fields in the ICT industry include:
Data scientist.
This field of study combines domain expertise, programming skills and knowledge of maths and statistics to extract managerial insights from data.
Robotics and process automation.
This is a more sophisticated form of business process automation that can record tasks performed by an individual on the computer and perform the same task without any human intervention.
Cloud computing is the delivery of various services across the Internet, such as in formation storage, databases, networking, servers, and software.
Cybersecurity.
It is the practice of protecting systems programs and networks from cyber-attacks.
Other fields in this sector include web design and development experts, ICT directors, and Software Developers.
According to Michael Page (a Specialist recruitment firm), this sector faces the challenge of scarcity in the supply of talent with STEM skills in South Africa.
However, a diverse educational terrain that speaks more to the STEM techniques needed in the 21st century is now needed.
Human Resource.
Human resources is a department or person that deals with everything employment-related in the company.
Human resources deal with employment and training new staff, ensure everyone adheres to labor laws, educate employees on Company benefits like pensions, sick leave, maternity leave, Etc., manage payroll, and manage staff contracts.
The key jobs in this sector include:
The human resource manager deals with the most important functions in the human resource department: hiring and firing employees, improving company and individual laws, and recruiting and training new workers.
The Human Resource Consultants advise the company on the current state of the human resource department and offer solutions on how to improve and adhere to company labor laws.
Human resource administrator who combines both human resource and other administrative duties. He handles the organization’s documentation and assists in other duties like Employment.
There are a variety of skills needed for this job. Basic hard skills include good communication skills, the ability to draw budgets, and organization skills, while soft skills include multitasking, decision-making, problem-solving, and other interpersonal skills.
Human resource experts have been in high demand in most Industries lately, probably because of the lack of flexibility.
This scarcity of flexibility illustrated by some organizations has been a barrier for applicants, several of whom have contemplated other employment options.
Michael Page suggested that organizations should employ individuals who have had experience in numerous positions during their careers.
With enough training and experience, you can become successful in this career path.
Finance And Accounting.
This sector deals with recording, measuring, and analyzing financial records for companies.
The top positions in this sector are financial managers, accountants, heads of finance, and commercial finance managers.
A few areas of Specialties in accounts used include;
Bookkeeping involves crunching numbers and keeping records of finances in a business. Bookkeeping and accounting are related but distinct roles, with different responsibilities and qualification requirements.
Financial managers are all about predicting the future of the business and strategizing to help the business grow.
Chartered accountants. This position has numerous jobs to choose from like auditing, forensic accounting, financial accounting, and Taxation.
Management accounting supports internal planning, budgets and decisions. Financial accounting prepares financial statements about an organisation’s performance and position.
Earlier pandemic-era recruitment reports discussed team restructuring and changing skills. Those observations should not be treated as a current finding about most businesses.
To tackle this issue, Michael Page suggested that many roles can be integrated into one to consolidate large teams, depending on the company’s size.
Also Read: How to Register With The Department Of Labour
Engineering And Manufacturing
Some engineering and manufacturing occupations appear in official demand lists; requirements and vacancies vary by occupation.
The positions in demand include;
Project managers are responsible for planning, leading, and overseeing projects from inception to completion. This is a senior role in an organization that involves interactions with both internal and external stakeholders.
Project managers are also responsible for ensuring that project deadlines are met; they coordinate staff and internal resources, coordinate project reviews and design reports, conduct risk mitigation plans Etc.
Operations managers are responsible for managing activities that create goods and services.
Other responsibilities include planning, control, design, and strategizing.
Other positions in demand are Maintenance managers and manufacturing managers.
Some positions in this sector require statutory appointments, such as the G C C mines, GCC factories, and mine managers’ certificates, which detail specific certifications, skills, or qualifications needed to fulfil the job’s responsibilities.
Professionals who pursue these qualifications can benefit from open-door opportunities and future promotions. They can also assist other members within the company through training and monitoring. According to Michael Page, recruiters should invest in these initiatives and allow workers to explore these options.
These are examples of career areas, rather than a verified current ranking of the most in-demand occupations.
Trending careers indicate positions that have become more popular in the job market and have experienced a dramatic increase in demand.
When choosing your career, consider the list of jobs and skills in high demand in South Africa to ensure that your career prospects in the labour market will be increased.
