INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Presentation to:

ISETT – Seta AGM

Gala Dinner (09 April 2002)

Sandton Convention Centre

ICT Skills Situation

Need for high-level software, computing, telecomms, broadcast and related ICT skills

1996 HSRC study: shortage of 9’000 engineers in 5 years

IT Staff Survey (CPL Survey, November 1998) on Brain Drain

29% of programmers 23% of analysts and systems analysts

ICT Skills Situation

SA Human Development Index (HDI) 0,677, ranking 94th in the world (Statistics in Brief, 1996)

BMI-TechKnowledge: ICT hardware, software and services market (excluding Telecomms) to exceed R40 billion in 2003, up from just under R20 billion in 1998

SAITIS Baseline Studies (2001): Only 23% of IT vendors spend in excess of R100 000 on IT training

Impact of HIV/AIDS

Need for HR Development E-commerce era

E-commerce bill presents new challenges with regard to the type, quality and magnitude of skills required

Bridging the Digital Divide

New possibilities brought about by new technologies It is now possible to bridge the digital divide. (Rich – Poor,

North – South, Rural – Urban, Black – White, etc)

Need for HR Development (cont’d)

Presidential International Advisory Council on IS&D Meeting (George, Oct 2001)

Recommendation for establishment of ICT University The use of Open Source Software as a skills development

platform

President’s Commission on Information Society

Geographic spread of skills

Most skilled IT practitioners are concentrated in Gauteng and Western Cape

Need for HR Development (cont’d)

Empowerment of youth & women

To develop employability & entrepreneurial skills

Open Source Software programme Java Planet ISSA

Seven HRD Priority Areas

As identified by Cabinet:

Development of adult basic education and training Learnerships Early childhood skills Public sector skills Scarce skills Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprises (SMMEs) Industry-education partnerships

SETAs

Department of Labour

Established through Skills Development Act no 97 of 1998

A key component of industrial development

Levies, Quality Assurance Measures, Learnerships, etc

Ensure skilling of workforce

Promised to put 3000 learners into Learnerships by March 2002

Have delivered 3203 learners!

Learnerships (example)

Institute for Satellite & Software Applications (ISSA)

Started operating in 1998

Satellite Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology

Historically Disadvantaged Science Graduates

Women

Rural

Learnerships (ISSA example)

180 plus graduates

Current intake: 152 (49% Female)

Website Development Factory

1 website per learner each month

Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs)

Business Incubation for 50 graduates 30 Female Entrepreneurs

Development of Future ICT Leaders/CEOs

ICT University

Proposal processes have commenced:

2 or 3 Common Training Centres

Inter-University collaboration by Computer Science & Engineering departments and faculties

Inter-Ministerial Committee on ICT University

Opportunities South Africa, a key player in NEPAD

ICT is a priority area for African development E-Africa Commission

E-schools project (networking all African schools)

EDUNET

To make use of high speed, high bandwidth, Internet & satellite network for delivery of audio-visual learning material

DoCWILLs, ISSA, ICT University, various universities & technikons

Recommendations

Develop human capitals as a matter of high priority

Identify potential sources of skilled labour (e.g. attract South Africans living abroad.)

Work with the donor community on ICT programmes

Linkages between industry, government and educational institutions

Entrepreneurial development training

Contribute resources towards the creation of ICT University

Thank You & Congratulations to New ISETT –SETA

Board