List of Scarce Skills in South Africa (2023)

In South Africa every skill is valuable, and every hardworking person is respected. However, there are certain Scarce Skills in South Africa that are very highly sought after. These uncommon skills are important because they add value to society. Because they are so important and scarce, professionals who work in these fields can earn huge sums of money and secure their futures.

If you are a young person in South Africa who is thinking about what career paths to take, or if you are a person thinking about leaving your country of birth and moving to South Africa, then this article is tailor-made for you. This article lists out the most sought-after skills in South Africa, which you can study to become qualified. Following any of these career paths would guarantee your financial future, or ensure that your VISA application is accepted.

What are those Scarce Skills? We cover them in the paragraphs below. Happy Reading!!

List of Scarce Skills in South Africa 

Chief Executives, General Managers, and Legislators

This category is among the highest key decision-makers; both in public agencies and in private enterprise. Chief Executives, General Managers, and Legislators formulate policies to maximize results or profits and generally ensure the smooth functioning of the companies or agencies which they head.

Advertising Managers

Advertising Managers are in charge of the presentation of any brand to the general public. They sit at the head of teams that create adverts, slogans, jingles, and routine visual adverts including billboards, newspapers, magazines, and all other routes by which a brand can get the attention of the people.

Advertising Managers are important because without them brands would not make sales, and the companies could not remain in business. A good advertising manager would be a creative person, but also have the skills to crunch numbers and analyze sales figures so as to determine the effectiveness of the particular marketing strategy in use by the company at the time.

Marketing and Sale Managers

 Marketing and Sales Managers are those managers who are in charge of selling the company’s products. They do this by meeting with buyers (distributors, wholesalers, warehouse owners, and so on) They are in charge of sales teams, who ensure that their products reach the buyers on a timely basis.

Marketing and Sales managers may also mobilize teams to bring their latest products into the hands of their existing customers.

Corporate Managers (Administration and Services Managers)

 Corporate Managers are those in charge of the administrative aspect of any organization. Their responsibilities include assigning duties to the members of staff (based on the assessment of their strengths.)

They are also involved in the process of distributing rewards and penance to members of staff as incentives for hard work and punishment for negligence or contravening company policies.   

Finance Managers (includes Municipal, Financial Managers, and Audit Managers)

Finance Managers are those in charge of handling the company’s finances. They compile the company’s books including spending, purchases, and payments of staff salaries, etc; and they balance the books against the company’s income through sales.

Finance Managers also carry out periodic audits of the company’s books, to discover if there are any leaks.

 Resource Managers

Resource managers are tasked with utilizing the available capital, infrastructural, and human resources of the organization to get the best results both short and long term.

Policy and Planning Managers/ Research and Development Managers

Policy and Planning Managers are tasked with developing policies and plans that ensure the long-term viability of the organization. 

Project Managers

Project managers are tasked with the responsibility of carrying out specific projects for the organization.

Construction, Distribution, and Production/ Operations Managers

Construction Managers

In the field of construction, these are the people who are saddled with the task of ensuring that building projects are done to the required standard. They are also required to ensure that the builders (government or private) are able to complete the projects with the estimated amounts of money budgeted for the said projects.

Engineering Managers 

Large production companies often use machines to carry out their production. These machines require frequent servicing, for which a team of engineers is often on standby. The Engineering Managers oversee the activities of the engineering teams; ensuring that they remain committed to the success of the company.

Production/ Operations Managers, Supply and Delivery Managers, and Logistics Managers

Depending on which particular type of organization and the product or service that they provide, a production manager, operations manager, Supply and Delivery Managers are about the same level. They oversee the direct running of the production arm of the company.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Managers

Information and Communications Technology Managers include Software Developers, Database Managers, Software Engineers, Web Developers, and Website Managers. Their jobs include the oversight of teams that keep the online presence of the company working smoothly.

Events, Hospitality, and Retail Service Managers

Call or Contact Center Managers and Customer Service managers

 These are the managers that oversee the teams that attend to customer complaints. They may receive these complaints in a number of ways including face-to-face physical complaints, phone calls, emails, and so on. They ensure the resolution of such complaints, and that the customers are treated with respect.  

Events and Conference Managers:

These are the managers who are in charge of events held by the organizations. These events include launch parties, annual general meetings, extraordinary general meetings, and so on.

Transport Service Managers:

Some companies deal with the transportation of customer goods and services. Others must move their workforce and their products from place to place. Whatever the situation, it is necessary to have experienced hands in charge if the logistics of moving people and products around. 

Miscellaneous Managers: 

Miscellaneous Managers are managers that can be drafted to handle a whole lot of areas as the need arises within the organization.

Retail and Service Managers: 

Retail Managers work directly with the clients or customers of any organization. They ensure that the end-users of their products and services receive the best value for their money. Retail managers can be found in banks and insurance companies where they ensure that retail customers are happy.

 

Other Scares Skills include:

Health professionals

• Registered Nurses 
• Senior health services and public health managers
•  Industrial Pharmacists
•  Radiation Therapists
•  Gastro-Intestinal Technologists
•  Vascular technologists
•  Physiologists Audiologists
• Radiographers 
•  Clinical Nurse Specialists
•  Clinical Nurse Managers
• Clinical Midwife Specialists
•  Advanced Nursing Practitioners
•  Registered Midwives 
• Clinical Midwife Managers
• Registered Advanced Paramedic Practitioners 
•  Advanced Midwife Practitioners
•  Orthoptists 
• Prosthetists
•  PHECC Registered Paramedics PHECC 

 

Architects, Town Planners, and Surveyors 

• Architect
• Architectural Technologist 
• Quantity Surveyors
• Construction Project Managers 

 

Natural and Social Science Professionals

•  Chemical scientists
• Biological scientists
• Medical laboratory scientists
• Biochemists
• Physical scientists

 

Quality and Regulatory Professionals 

• Quality control and planning engineers
•  Environmental health professionals 
• Quality assurance and regulatory professionals
•   Sports and fitness High-performance coaches

 

Conclusion:

This article is not a substitute for professional advice. It, therefore, should not be relied on when making decisions on the list of scarce skills in South Africa. Persons may perform differently at tasks, depending on their abilities as well as their level of interest. Speak to a career counselor before making any decision about the best career for you.