South African employers recruit overseas amid ICT skills crisis

[BusinessTech]

South African employers recruit overseas amid ICT skills crisis

New data shows that South Africa faces a growing Information and communications technology (ICT) skills crisis of immense proportions.

 

[skimread]

The JCSE survey found that pre-hiring qualifications and certifications in 2016 has changed significantly from previous years, with internationally recognised standards replacing graduate degrees and industry association certificates moving into third place.

While vendor certificates are still the least-rated in the recruiting process, they are highly-prized as indicators of ability to support specific products or technologies during the course of employment, said Asus.

JCSE know what the problem is.

In General South Africans have degrees but not current vendor certification. JCSE should instead get together with government to change this. Graduate who are unemployed can easily certify through self study. Problem is the constant exam costs.

A typical cert exam will cost R1000 and per certification you have 3 exams. Assuming you don't fail any exam its about R3K. Certifications last only 2 years and you have to renew it by writing another exam and paying around R1000. That is a big time and money investments

Currently you have the situation employer requires employee with certification X. They ask recruiters to find them candidates with these certifications. Recruiters say they can't find any but they have people with degrees. Employer says no thank you, blaming a skills shortage. Then then use African or Indian recruiters to find them people with certificates. Those people arrive here on a scarce skill visa and after a number of years working apply for permanent citizenship. Meanwhile many degreed graduates sit unemployed at home.

 

[Petec]

Government subsidised scholarship payback programmes, where you get your tuition bucks back, AFTER you have qualified.

And tuition is initially put up by the private sector, who will have access to the students performance history throughout their school career.
These private sector companies need this to be worth their while, and there are many ways to make this viable to them.

How are these kids identified?... Well, the IT company I work for supports and donates to the school feeding programme. We also have a hand in tech at the schools We can drown government in viable candidates.We are but one of hundreds of IT companies who do this.

This is not hard to address and resolve. Our government is just useless is all. Muppets!

 

[Skerminkel]

Government subsidised scholarship payback programmes, where you get your tuition bucks back, AFTER you have qualified.

And tuition is initially put up by the private sector, who will have access to the students performance history throughout their school career.
These private sector companies need this to be worth their while, and there are many ways to make this viable to them.
...

Excellent idea and not just for the IT industry.

 

[Skerminkel]

Question: Is this not an effect of globalisation, rather total skills availability? The skills are here, but it is cheaper to employ an Indian or Chinese than a South African.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Question: Is this not an effect of globalisation, rather total skills availability? The skills are here, but it is cheaper to employ an Indian or Chinese than a South African.

Also its less hassle...

They are employed as a Consultant, so none of the Labour law stuff comes into play really. No provident fund, Medical Aid etc etc etc...

 

[skimread]

Also its less hassle...

They are employed as a Consultant, so none of the Labour law stuff comes into play really. No provident fund, Medical Aid etc etc etc...

Another issue is BEE laws and if those foreigners fall under scarce skills so they don't bring down BEE scorecards as they are not included in the calculation count. After 2-3 years they apply for citizenship, get it and then help improve the BEE scorecards of employers and they are South African citizens. I have worked with so many Zimbabweans, Indians and other Africans from other countries that do exactly this that I feel sorry for local graduates who are unemployed. The technical skills of these foreigners aren't very good but compared to South African Africans their life skills and knowledge of how to game the system to their advantage will always make them come out ahead of local African graduates.

 

[Skerminkel]

.... South African Africans their life skills and knowledge of how to game the system to their advantage will always make them come out ahead of local African graduates.

By nature immigrants and expats are innovative and industrious. They say the same of SAns in other countries.

The fact is if you cannot compete globally, laws and regulations will only protect you up to a point.

 

[freddster]

Another issue is BEE laws and if those foreigners fall under scarce skills so they don't bring down BEE scorecards as they are not included in the calculation count. After 2-3 years they apply for citizenship, get it and then help improve the BEE scorecards of employers and they are South African citizens. I have worked with so many Zimbabweans, Indians and other Africans from other countries that do exactly this that I feel sorry for local graduates who are unemployed. The technical skills of these foreigners aren't very good but compared to South African Africans their life skills and knowledge of how to game the system to their advantage will always make them come out ahead of local African graduates.

+ 100000 Time to leave this country. Went for interview last week, rare skill. they must employ BEE, while there are probably <10 BEE candidates with that skill in the country. I'm out of a job, can't get it. The company can't fill it. Job opportunity gone in a country where unemployment is high.

 

[skimread]

+ 100000 Time to leave this country. Went for interview last week, rare skill. they must employ BEE, while there are probably <10 BEE candidates with that skill in the country. I'm out of a job, can't get it. The company can't fill it. Job opportunity gone in a country where unemployment is high.

Agree. I think of improving my skills every day and it being on an international standard. So easily losing to foreigners who don't have language or proper logic skills is a huge wakeup call.