Publications > Reports from research organisations

Skills shortages in South Africa: Case studies of key professions


Date posted:

2022/11/01

Publication year:

2009

Corporate author/s:

Department of Labour South Africa; Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), HSRC Press

Person/s author/s:

Beer, Mignon; Erasmus, Johan

Output-type:

book

Format:

pdf

South Africa's skills shortages are widely regarded as a key factor preventing the achievement of targeted growth rates. There is some dispute as to the nature and extent of these shortages, given that the country also has a large pool of unemployed graduates. The case studies presented in this monograph explore the question of shortage in nine key professions and trades and find evidence of skills scarcity in most fields. Drawing on the skills of scholars and expert consultants throughout South Africa, the monograph provides important insights into the reasons for these shortages and surpluses, not only in relation to local the context but also in relation to the international market for knowledge and skills, in which South African qualifications are highly prized. The monograph is based on a study of sector specific research and related skills requirements commissioned by the South African Department of Labour in 2006. It formed part of a wider research project related to the National Skills Development Strategy and the National Industrial Policy Framework of 2007, for which the Human Sciences Research Council led a research consortium comprising the Development Policy Research Unit at the University of Cape Town and the Sociology of Work Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand.

There are no related research posts.

There is no related news.

There are no related events.

Establishing a foundation for labour market information systems in South Africa >

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the key issues and problems in establishing a labour market information system in an emerging economy. The paper is structured as follows: section one considers some of the key high-level foundat...

Chasing credentials and mobility: Private higher education in South Africa >

This books brings a different set of lenses to bear on what has become the subject of intense contestation, of 'media hype', in South Africa: the private provision of higher education. This books seeks to provide a way to move beyond any polarisation...

Developing a framework for understanding SETA performance: Monitoring and Evaluating their role in skills planning, steering and enabling supply within their sector >

The paper begins by exploring the central issue highlighted in a number of research reports on the SETAs: the absence of a shared understanding of their role. The paper argues that multiple objectives have an adverse effect on the performance of the...

New TVET artisan bridging and qualifications >

This presentation highlights the new TVET artisan bridging and qualifications, including 7-System, alignment of the gamut for artisans, GTTP: workflow, knowledge modules, practical skill modules, worker experience modules, a Legend for Artisan Trade...

What Can TVET providers and employers do to enhance students' employability? >

This anecdote illustrates the indispensability of workplace learning to occupational competence and job-readiness. Labour-market experts commonly identify four pre-requisites for getting a job in the modern industrial workplace: technical occupationa...

Volume 1: An analysis of international practices on funding for post-school education and training >

This international review provides a snapshot of the different institutional and funding mechanisms in place to support the post-school education and training (PSET) system across a wide range of developed and developing countries. It also raises par...

A catchment study around the location of TVET colleges (South West Gauteng TVET College) >

The University of Western Cape requested a study on the Geographic Profiling of TVET colleges across South Africa. The purpose of this study was to profile each college to identify business and commercial activities within a nearby vicinity. As part...

Planning with purpose: The use of labour market intelligence for skills planning in South Africa >

This report is the final product of a 17 month-long Skills Planning Dialogue, funded by the EU-South Africa Dialogue Facility, with the aim of supporting the establishment by the Department of Higher Education and Training of a 'credible institutiona...