STAATSKOERANT, 24 JANUARIE 2014
No. 37261
11.4.1 Skills Gaps in the ICT Sector
An assessment of the industry conducted by the MICT Seta identified the immediate needs
in each sub-sector with the IT sub-sector experiencing the greatest skills crunch. Software
developers, programme developers, mobile apps development, computer network and
systems engineers, ICT system analysts, computer network technician and call-centre
agents are all in demand. In telecommunications, ICT business development managers are
needed, in electronics, electrical engineering technicians, software developers, IT and
network engineers, in advertising, multimedia designers, and in broadcasting, authors and
radio journalists.Other skills identified include that of ethical, security, spectrum
management, business analytical skills and e-leadership capabilities.
11.5 e-Skills for the Future & Global Trends
NeSPA 2013 identified key global trends that will affect South Africa, and pinpointed ways
that the ICT sector could develop in the country: These trends included the following:
The developing world - with more than half the world's population - provides the
biggest opportunity for 'new-use' users for many ICT providers and developers.
ICT development is converging, becoming more mobile, more affordable and more
accessible in ways that suit developmental agendas for many countries.
There can be no sustainable progress in developing equity of life chances in
developmental states without the effective social appropriation of ICT.
The rate of ubiquitous development of ICT is moving past the current capacity (for
effective deployment and adoption) and attitudes of many societal, organisational
and service delivery structures.
Collectively these trends are irrevocably changing the fundamentals of many
services, businesses, educational approaches, the praxis of governance and the
way in which life is led. These impacts are likely to be greatest in places with large
equity gaps.
11.6 Teacher Training, Curriculum Development & Further Education & Training Sites
(FETS)
11.6.1 Teacher and Lecturer Training
The future of the classroom whether it be in schools, colleges, universities or private
institutions will be very different from the form the previous generation knew, with the move
across to digital online teaching and knowledge and information sharing via the Internet.
There is also the potential to centralise teaching where one teacher's training of a class can
be distributed to multiple classes simultaneously with in-class teachers becoming facilitators.
In the near future, teachers need to be equipped with the necessary ICT skills to utilise the
online e-education platforms and undergo routine ICT skills training.
11.6.2 Curriculum Development
The Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) together with the MICT Seta can
facilitate, monitor and evaluate innovations in future curriculum development that support
diversity in skills. This is only for the ICT Sector and again only for the levy payers.
The Institute, comprising e-SI, Nemisa and the Institute for Space and Software Applications
(ISSA), together with business, government, civil society and education embarked on a
process towards developing an e-skills National Curriculum and Competency Framework
(NCCF) that looks at targeted needs against the NDP, and then maps and links pathways to
attaining those skills to meet the needs.
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