Engineering skills important for economic growth

Currently, South Africa has 1 engineer for every 3100 people, compared to, Germany with 1 engineer for every 200 people. In countries like Japan, UK, and USA, this ratio stands at about 1:310. South Africa needs to produce 10 times more engineers in order to compete favorably with developed economies.

The shortage of skills is concerning considering that engineering professionals are centrally involved in the two key areas of national development. Building and maintaining infrastructure in the public sector, and contributing towards economic growth in the private sector.

On the demand side, the situation is optimistic. The government has recently issued increased calls for skilled graduates, in particular in engineering, in order to meet the infrastructural needs of the country. However, some of the greatest challenges reside in the supply side of the equation and include problems like:

• The deficiencies in the present school system and in particular the low numbers of learners with sufficient grade levels in maths and science to undertake tertiary education in the engineering sector.
• The collapse of traditional artisanal training.

The reality is that in 2011 about 495 000 learners sat for their matric examinations. Only 12% passed both core math and physical science with more than 40%. This is the pool from where all professions come to drink. Only about 1% of those who write this examination, will enter into tertiary engineering programs.

In addition to this talent management practices have a long way to go in the technical field of engineering. The most technically astute engineers are often the ones who are promoted to management positions. Unfortunately, just because individuals are technically skilled does not mean they are good at managing people.

With the shortage of skills in the Engineering field, we understand the importance of attracting and finding the right talent to add to your team. Communicate Recruitment specializes in Engineering recruitment including Civil Engineer jobs, Mechanical Engineer jobs, Electrical Engineer jobs, and more. Call us today.
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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