Occupational classifications and their Relationships to Qualifications
Identification of skills needs and shortages for the short, medium, and long term
Skills planning in South Africa is a complex process that directly influences many of the country's developmental objectives. In the face of pressing socio-economic challenges optimal skills planning within a society should therefore coordinate several distinct priorities, including promoting economic development, facilitating transformation and reducing unemployment, poverty and inequality.
Aligning South Africa’s education and training landscape (skills supply) more closely to the requirements of employers and the structure of the economy (skills demand) is in essence what a Labour Market Information (LMI) system should make possible. Central to achieving this is the identification of skills needs and shortages, and facilitating the formulation and implementation of interventions that respond to these.
Research objective
Skills planning in South Africa is a complex process that directly influences many of the country’s developmental objectives. In the face of pressing socio-economic challenges optimal skills planning within a society must coordinate several distinct priorities, including promoting economic development, facilitating transformation and reducing unemployment, poverty and inequality.
The major objective of LMIP research in this area is therefore to support strategic thinking and
policy-making at the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)
This is to build the capacity of the DHET and Sectoral Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) to understand and anticipate trends in the demand for skills so that the education and training sector can respond adequately to these. Specific objectives under this theme include:
- Developing an updated conceptual framework and conducting research on skills supply and demand in South Africa in both the public and private sector.
- Developing and implementing skills forecasting models and updated indicators for skills planning, taking into account government strategies and plans.
- Undertaking research studies of sectoral trends and firms in selected priority sectors, recognising occupations in high demand and priority shortages.
- Identifying the required interventions needed to address skills shortages and propose these to policymakers and planners..
Key Research Objectives
To achieve these objectives, key research undertaken under this theme of the LMIP includes the following:
- Research and analysis on skills supply and demand in South Africa, and the imbalances between these.
- Identification of key skills required to respond to government strategies.
- Identification of current and future skills requirements of key occupations in the public sector.
- A tool to project skills supply and demand in South Africa.
- Identification of occupations in high demand, occupational shortages and priority occupation.
- Analysis on skills planning for specific sectors.
Overview
Explore these other LMI themes
Interested in South African Skills Development Issues?
Visit the LMI repository to access programme outputs and products including research and technical reports, working papers and policy briefs, conceptual frameworks, booklets, and infographics and data visualisations.
