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Demand for skills in South Africa’s IT sector is outpacing available talent, with only 42% of applicants boasting the qualifications required for most advertised jobs, leading online recruitment platform Pnet says.For companies, the shortage of IT skills has meant project delays, slower digital transformation and higher recruitment and retention costs, Pnet head of brand Michelle Dobson said, calling for collaboration between the public and private sector to bridge the gap and help reduce high youth unemployment levels of more than 45%.Pnet’s labour market data shows that shortages are particularly acute in specialised roles such as technical and business architects.“We can address the disconnect by focusing on developing young people’s interest in technology careers and their digital skills from an early age,” Dobson said.“Even before tertiary education, we can help to prepare the next generation to navigate modern economic shifts, such as the rise of AI and the digital transformation of every industry,” she said.“The IT skills shortage will not be solved without sustained investment in young people. Through collaboration between non-profit organisations [NPOs], public and private sectors, we can narrow the IT skills gap significantly, and empower young people to drive technological progress.”According to Collective X, an NPO that helps unemployed young people find entry-level jobs in the tech and digital sectors, South Africa does not have a digital talent shortage, but rather a work-ready talent gap.It argues that every year, thousands of young South Africans graduate with degrees, diplomas and certifications across a wide range of information and communications technology (ICT) and digital qualifications while tens of thousands of ICT roles remain vacant.Research by Collective X in 2025 found about 118,500 ICT vacancies nationally, 36% of which were junior opportunities, with more than 40,000 junior-level digital jobs unfilled, its head of skills and training partnerships Deidre Samson wrote recently.“The disconnect is not about qualifications; it is about workplace experience,” Samson said, arguing that work-integrated learning offers one of the most effective mechanisms to build the confidence graduates need for the job market.“Technical training produces graduates, structured experience produces professionals and confidence turns potential into contribution. If South Africa is serious about closing the digital experience gap, it is time to scale work-integrated learning ― deliberately, carefully and well.”A report by XpatWeb late last year listed ICT specialists among the critical skills skills in short supply in South Africa, in addition to engineers, artisans and financial experts.“South Africa’s ICT professionals are increasingly drawn to markets like Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US, where higher pay and stronger career prospects prevail. Meanwhile, rapid advances in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity and data science continue to accelerate digital transformation and widen the local skills gap,” it said.In April an industry expert said thousands of young prospective employees are at a disadvantage as the use of AI accelerates in South Africa because they lack the basic skills in the field being increasingly demanded by employers.Last week Telkom, one of South Africa’s largest telecommunications companies, said it was laying the groundwork for an institute aimed at equipping South Africans with AI and digital skills, as it broadens its focus from connectivity to workforce development.“The Telkom AI Institute is our commitment to ensuring that connectivity translates into skills, jobs and opportunity,” group CEO Serame Taukobong said at the World Summit on the Information Society forum in Geneva.Business Day
