SOUTH Africa is experiencing a significant IT skills shortage, jeopardising its digital transformation and economic growth. Essential fields such as cybersecurity, data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and software development are notably impacted, revealing a deficit of 20 000 to 70 000 qualified professionals.

This significant shortage of IT skills affects not only business operations but the market as a whole. Globally, the IT industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors, and for a country like South Africa, which is still in its development phase, keeping up with global standards is a significant challenge.

This situation presents a problem, but it also offers opportunities for growth and development.

Considering that IT is one of the fastest-growing markets globally, countries like India have excelled in this area over the last 10 to 20 years. Many IT products originate from the United States, and Indian teams have taken over much of the support due to their skills.

Locally, South Africa has a relatively young and willing-to-learn population. The key is to put the right pieces into the puzzle to skill people in the right areas. Every stumbling block should be viewed as an opportunity to foster growth and development.

In the meantime, managed service providers (MSPs) present a practical solution to South Africa’s IT skills deficit. Collaborating with MSPs enables South African companies to tap into specialised IT expertise that is often scarce in the local market.

For example, MSPs provide a comprehensive range of security services, such as data management and protection, threat detection and incident response, allowing businesses to strengthen their cybersecurity and cyber resilience postures without building and maintaining internal teams.

For companies that want to outsource their IT needs, engaging the services of an MSP offers many advantages, especially in terms of skills development. Training is often expensive and does not always provide the full experience. By outsourcing to an MSP, companies can benefit in the long run.

Additionally, MSPs can compare customer environments and make recommendations based on what works best. Leveraging the skills of an MSP provides significant benefits from the tailored solutions and expertise that they can offer without the need for extensive training.

By leveraging international vendors and partners, MSPs can bring advanced skills into the South African market without requiring customers to train their internal staff, allowing customers to benefit from MSPs’ international connections and knowledge.

Furthermore, MSPs offer platforms where the customer’s infrastructure does not need to be on-site. For example, local organisations can use MSPs as third-party vendors to maintain another copy of their backed-up data in a different location. This provides additional data protection and an added layer of security.

Digital processes, including AI, are crucial for the future. If South Africa’s skills shortage is not addressed soon, it will worsen, leading to increased reliance on other countries.

Skilled individuals may not share their knowledge, and those seeking assistance may not progress. Proper training plans are essential, starting from the post-matric level, involving the government and universities. These must have a strong focus on providing practical experience.

Universities tend to focus on theory rather than practical experience. Yet, practical experience is crucial for developing skills. If universities and technical institutions can incorporate more practical processes, it will help put things into perspective.

If we can get the recipe right for developing young talent early, it will make a significant difference. If not, the skills gap in South Africa will continue to widen and will not only disrupt business operations but also contribute to high youth unemployment rates.

* Mohammed Sayed is the service delivery manager at DMP SA.

** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, Independent Media, or IOL.

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Is South Africa's IT skills shortage hindering digital transformation?