When a supply-demand imbalance is felt in vital segments of the economy, those of us in the executive search niche soon find we have our work cut out in sourcing the skilled professionals who are sorely needed.
Within the global triad of tech, health, and finance, there are four key factors underlying the shortage:
Let’s explore these factors in a little more depth, as they pertain to Africa – where compounding issues include infrastructure challenges, emigration, and underinvestment in education.
The pace of innovation, across AI, cloud computing, and data analytics, as just three examples, is outstripping the ability of schools, colleges, and universities to adapt their training regimes in tandem. In turn, graduates often enter the workforce under-equipped for real-world roles.
In Africa, inconsistent internet access, limited digital infrastructure, and outdated curricula widen the gap even further. Educators often lack the resources to train students for tomorrow’s demands.
Although Africa has a growing youth population, unemployment and skills gaps persist. Developing nations tend to have more pressing needs to plug than re-investing in educational curricula that don’t align with market needs; leaving emerging graduates unprepared for workplace realities, particularly in Stem and digital fields.
Meanwhile, experienced professionals are retiring or emigrating, leaving a devastating vacuum in mentorship, leadership, and expertise.
Real-world readiness demands hands-on learning, not just theory. Internships, simulations, and industry collaborations must become core parts of educational curricula.
In tech, software development, cloud computing, and cybersecurity are rising in importance.
In health, we need evenly distributed specialised care – even if implemented via telemedicine – to overcome geographic disparities (Note: urban areas in South Africa have about 30 generalists and 30 specialists per 100,000 people, while rural areas have only 13 generalists and two specialists per 100,000, according to the African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine).
In the financial services, there’s an overwhelming need for blockchain and digital-payment experts as fintech explodes, together with risk management specialists to counter the economic uncertainty of the future.
Even well-versed professionals struggle to keep pace with ever-changing roles and responsibilities. The demand for lifelong learning – while essential – adds pressure to already demanding careers, especially when individuals have studied in their youth for up to a decade (medicine), seven years (chartered accountancy), or an integrated technology degree (at least five years).
While it is not impossible to embrace a mindset of ongoing development, to attend networking events, speak at conferences, attend short courses, and leverage technology for learning purposes, these initiatives create a second layer of demand over and above an already high-pressured and demanding day job; they are also time consuming for the busy professional.
Solving the talent gap requires a coordinated effort across three fronts: the private sector (for the outreach and inclusion it can bring to bear), recruitment (for the necessary shift that’s needed in our talent-sourcing practices); and education (which must adjust towards more suitable workplace-ready methods):
Africa’s executive talent challenge isn’t insurmountable – but it demands urgency, adaptability, and cross-sector collaboration. The solution lies in building a future-ready workforce that’s not only educated, but which is highly empowered to evolve.
| Customer Service - Cat Expert | Cape Town | Galaxy Outsourcing | 19 Sep |
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