The government is encouraging students to select courses and colleges that will lead them to careers in areas where critical skills are in demand. A number of studies have confirmed that the skills shortage is a real problem in South Africa and a constraint to economic growth. The Department of Higher Education has compiled a list of workers the country needs:
- The list includes managers, from top-level company chief executives to middle and junior managers. Especially retail and wholesale trade managers, and production and specialized services managers.
- The next-most understaffed category is that of professionals in the country. Of these, most in demand are health professionals – midwives, nurses, doctors and pharmacists.
- There is a demand for people with qualifications in physical, mathematical and engineering sciences.
- On the commerce front, there are many positions accountants.
- There are also positions for technicians, ranging from water plant operators and ship and aircraft controllers to air traffic controllers and medical and pharmaceutical technicians.
- The country is short of clerical support workers, ranging from general office clerks and secretaries to bank tellers and croupiers in the casino industry.
- They also list unusual careers: traditional chiefs and heads of villages, criminologists, archivists, and sports coaches, instructors and officials.
- In the trades, there is a need for plant and machine operators, mechanics, electrical and electronics trade workers, and blacksmiths and toolmakers.
- Positions in the arts include painters, sculptors, potters or ceramicists, composers and instrumental musicians. There are also positions for dancers and choreographers, actors and directors of film, TV, radio or stage productions.