INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY SKILLS IN SOUTH AFRICA

1. INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY SKILLS IN SOUTH AFRICA Presentation to: ISETT – Seta AGM Gala Dinner (09 April 2002) Sandton Convention Centre

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. Need for HR Development (cont’d) • Empowerment of youth & women • To develop employability & entrepreneurial skills • Open Source Software programme • Java Planet • ISSA

7. 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

8. 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!

9. Learnerships (example) • Institute for Satellite & Software Applications (ISSA) • Started operating in 1998 • Satellite Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology • Historically Disadvantaged Science Graduates • Women • Rural

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Thank You & Congratulations to New ISETT –SETA Board