Upskill yourself in these 5 sectors that has a growing demand for workers

A lack of skills is a key challenge that South Africa has always had to deal with. But, this is a challenge that can be overcome by people who upskill themselves in the right sectors, says Eloise Nolte, Managing Director of Optimi College.

When looking at current sectors that have a growing demand for workers, there are vocational skills that one can attain, some which you can even do without having completed matric.

Tourism

The tourism sector is set to see a strong comeback post-pandemic and with South Africa traditionally having a fast-growing tourism market for both local and international tourists, this industry might be a safe bet.

Look at options like Tourism Marketing and Tourism Management – two courses for which you only require a Grade 10 qualification at certain institutions.

A Tourism Marketing course at College SA will teach you the skills and techniques required to discover what tourism consumers want and how to develop suitable offerings for them. It also includes learning how to promote these offerings to the market.

Tourism Management will teach you the business, finance, marketing and HR marketing skills needed for a management career in tourism.

READ: SA has worst unemployment rate among world’s economic data-tracking countries

Supply Chain Management

As trade ramps up, the global supply chain has come under the spotlight (and a lot of pressure) which means there is demand for experts in this space.

According to Nolte, you can pursue a short course in Supply Chain Management with a Grade 10 qualification, which will provide you with a foundation in the principles and practices of the industry.

Learn how to integrate the value chain of organisations and processes that contribute to ultimate value, as well as managing the processes among the internal operations, external suppliers and customers of a business.

Project Management

Project management skills are vital when it comes to planning, assigning and managing any project successfully.

A Project Management Professional Skills Course could assist you to learn the phases of project management, as well as how to manage each phase according to certain project goals.

You’ll also learn how to motivate team members and deal with project-related issues accordingly.

IT and Technology

Keeping in mind that we live in a fast-moving world, IT will probably always be at the top of the list when it comes to in-demand sectors to upskill yourself in.

With the industry continuously evolving and growing, there is also a multitude of options and opportunities to tap into.

Some of the most in-demand skills include Software Development, Network and IT Engineering, Cyber Security and more.

Course providers like IT Academy is a good place to start when you are exploring opportunities in this sector.

You can also attain certificates from a multitude of institutions like Microsoft, Cisco, COMPTIA and others to upskill yourself further.

Entrepreneurship

If you have an entrepreneurial streak and you are keen on creating your own job, there are courses to help steer you in the right direction.

One of the great upskill courses is a National Certificate in Small Business Financial management, which is an ICB accredited course that will teach you how to do effective record-keeping and financial management for your business.

It will also provide you with the knowledge required to perform key financial tasks and it will guide you when it comes to the importance of effective communication and accuracy.

With this qualification, you will also have an NQF Level 4 qualification, and you can go further along this route and do an ICB course in Office Administration and ultimately a National Diploma in Financial Accounting.

With these, you will be able to apply principles of cost and management accounting, economics, human resources and labour relations in an organisation.

In a world where entrepreneurship seems to be a fast-growing trend, these are courses that you can only benefit from.