One of the lasting legacies of the Covid-19 pandemic is a world more reliant on the media, information, communications, and technology (MICT) industry than ever before. Tech in its many forms has become a crucial tool for communication, business, and life during the lockdowns. The increased demand for content, especially in a SVOD (subscription video on demand) and Tik Tok world, has also meant an increased demand for creators and creatives that are astute in digital mediums and distribution channels.
Covid has not been the only contributor to the sector’s growth. Our financial services sector is a major driver of innovation in the field. Because of institutional voids, such as an unreliable national postal service, the finance industry has had to come up with new and reliable ways to make transactions, leading to SA being in possession of one of the world’s most advanced fintech sub-sector.
South Africa is a leading hub on the African continent for growth in the MICT sector. This sector is already one of the biggest employers in South Africa, and according to 2021JCSE-IITPSA ICT Skills Survey (eleventh edition), is estimated to contribute a combined 6.1% (or R300 billion) to the country’s GDP. The telecommunications sub-sector remains the biggest employer in the ICT field.
With the kind of boom we are seeing in MICT, it would be expected that our higher employment rates would be impacted, but this is not the case. Why?
With the MICT sector, we do not have a demand problem – we have a supply problem.
That is to say that there are jobs available, and deeply needed, however, we have a shortage of people with the right skills to fill these roles.
The digital divide, and the inequalities that come with not having access to skills, hardware and software in the space, has become even more glaring thanks to the shift to a more digital daily life. President Ramphosa noted in his SONA address that “The digital and technology, and global business services sectors is targeted to create 500,000 jobs in global business services by 2030. Moreover, through intervention, 20,000 high skill digital jobs can be reshored back to South Africa and the existing 60 000 high skill digital job vacancies in the local economy can be filled.”
Our dual-education system faces many challenges including high dropout rates between Grade 1 and Matric, and the slow uptake of STEM subjects. Out of 100 children who start school, only 60 start matric, meaning there is a 40% drop-off between Grades 1 and 12. Of the 60% who make it to matric, only 37% pass, 12% receive university acceptance and only 4% complete their degrees.
Tracking school drop-offs
But 4IR is here, whether we’re ready for it or not. The demand for technical skills, especially on a higher level (automation, robotics, etc.) will increase, and with it, lower-skill digital jobs will be absorbed and likely, disappear.
We urgently need to arm our young people with future-fit skills that will allow them to work, but most importantly, instil the capability to learn and re-learn over and over again as the demand morphs.
As technology advances, so too does our ability to communicate, create businesses, access job opportunities, and network. More than that, these advances will alleviate the amount of time and energy we spend on small, menial tasks – and all South Africans should be able to access these immense benefits.
New ways of training and learning post-matric and outside of the formal secondary and tertiary schooling systems are being developed and cultivated, and in some cases, are fully operational.
How YES and its partners are future-proofing youth for an uncertain digital world
The YES turnkey solution works with 33 YES-vetted host partner across South Africa to place youth. If a corporate cannot place youth in their own organisation, they have the option to place within our host partner.
The turnkey solution is a true one-stop solution for organisations looking to make all of the impact with none of the admin. Host partners are not only responsible for hosting youth, but also for recruiting, screening, and supervising the youth, as well as facilitating absorption on behalf of the corporate.
Some sectors YES host partner work in
Many of our corporate partners are choosing the turnkey solution as part of their digital strategy, not just for the B-BBEE level up benefit, but also to integrate with their environmental, social and governance (ESG) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
But more than this, they’re using our digital host partners to build a workforce for the future, equipped with the relevant skills to meet the increasing demands of digital, as well as to keep working.
One client, a giant in the South African telecommunications industry, has a job creation footprint through the YES in Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. The youth were placed with YES host partners operating in positions that offer crucial in-demand skills such as data capturers, cyber security agents, digital artisans, content creators and software developers. This offers them a year of work and upskilling while earning a salary.
The five host partners hosting these youth are:
- The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative – South Africa’s oldest tech incubator – which promotes the inclusive growth of the digital economy.
- The National Financial Literacy Association, which supports SMMEs with ongoing consumer financial education using various platforms.
- Reconstructed Living Lab, a non-profit which provides empowerment through hope, technology, innovation, training and economic opportunities.
- Youth Content Collective (YCC), where talented content creators are connected with business.
- Youth@Work, where unemployed young people are given work experiences in non-traditional worksites.
- Other digital YES host partners include, Edunova and ITVarsity.
Create a future that works in the digital age
The world seems to be moving faster and faster each day, and the faster it moves, the quicker South African youth are being left behind. Two in three youth are unemployed, meaning that we have the resources to fulfil the digital demand (as opposed to offshoring work) – they just need to be trained.
We cannot leave another generation behind.
Join over 1,961 companies that are skilling a workforce for tomorrow.
Amendment to the Gazette