Matric 2014: most needed occupations

Matrics planning their further studies should consider which skills are most needed. Photo: Jim Urquhart

Matrics planning their further studies should consider which skills are most needed. Photo: Jim Urquhart

Published Jan 6, 2015

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Johannesburg - Matrics planning their further studies should consider which skills are most needed.

The Department of Higher Education and Training has rewritten its long list of the occupations in high demand by employers nationally: the people they need to fill crucial jobs.

The “List of Occupations in High Demand: 2014” was released by the department in November.

These are the occupations which have been identified as “vitally needed and/or as a ‘scarce skill’ for socio-economic growth and development of the country”, said the department.

These are the occupations “confirmed as being in high demand, based on information provided by interested parties through a public comment process”.

The list was compiled after the government issued the “National Scarce Skills: Top 100 Occupations in Demand List” in May last year; the new list revises the May list.

The public comment process included getting input from employer associations, academic institutions, government departments, sector education and training authorities, and individuals.

Occupations with professional designations such as engineers, quantity surveyors, doctors and teachers were allocated a higher score due to the high demand for such occupations globally, said the department.

Some of the occupations listed refer to clusters of occupations rather than the actual occupation.

The department said the occupations listed were not ranked relative to each other.

“This list is drawn up from a national perspective.

“There may be occupations not mentioned in this document that may be in high demand at provincial, local or sectoral levels. If an occupation is not included in this list, it should not be assumed that there is no need for such occupations in the economy,” said the department.

The list is expected to be updated again this year.

The full list is available online at www.gov.za in Government Gazette number 38174.

Your country needs you:

Medical doctors

Physical and engineering science technicians

Manufacturing managers

Physicists and astronomers

Meteorologists

Industrial and production engineers

Environmental engineers

Telecommunications engineers

Landscape architects

Nursing professionals

Dietitians and nutritionists

Audiologists and speech therapists

Vocational or further education teachers

Accountants

Software developers

Ships’ deck officers and pilots

Medical imaging and therapeutic equipment technicians

Clearing and forwarding agents

Steam engine and boiler operators

Earthmoving and related plant operators

Local authority managers

Finance managers

Personnel and human resource managers

Health and safety managers

Corporate general managers

Programme or project managers

Quality systems managers

Sales and marketing managers

Research and development managers

Construction project managers

Supply and distribution managers

Logistics

Chief information officers

ICT project managers

Medical superintendents and public health managers

Environmental managers

Production and operations managers

Retail managers (general)

Geologists

Geophysicists

Materials scientists

Actuaries

Statisticians

Medical scientists

Agricultural scientists

Air pollution analysts

Water quality analysts

Production engineers

Civil engineers

Civil engineering technologists

Mechanical engineers

Mechanical engineering technologists

Marine engineers

Chemical engineers

Chemical engineering technologists

Mining engineers

Mining engineering technologists

Metallurgical engineers

Metallurgical engineering technologists

Petroleum engineers

Quantity surveyors

Agricultural engineers

Materials engineers

Materials engineering technologists

Electrical engineers

Electrical engineering technologists

Energy engineers

Energy engineering technologists

Electronics engineers

Electronics engineering technologists

Architects

Industrial designers

Urban and regional planners

Land surveyors

Public health physicians

Veterinarians

Hospital pharmacists

Industrial pharmacists

Retail pharmacists

SHEQ (safety, health, environment and quality) practitioners

Occupational therapists

University lecturers

Mathematics teachers (grades10-12)

Mathematics teachers (primary school)

Natural science teachers (grades 10-12)

Foundational phase school teachers

External auditors

Financial investment advisers

Company secretaries

Internal auditors

Career counsellors

Occupational instructors and trainers

ICT systems analysts

Computer network and systems engineers

Network analysts

Draughtspersons

Forestry technicians

Ships’ engineers

Valuers

Registered nurses (child and family health)

Retail buyers

Supply chain practitioners

Computer network technicians

Carpenters and joiners

Plumbers (general)

Air conditioning and mechanical services plumbers

Moulders

Pressure welders

Welders

Boiler makers

Metal fabricators

Riggers

Toolmakers

Fitters and turners

Automotive motor mechanics

Diesel mechanics

Industrial machinery mechanics

Electronic pre-press technical workers

Paper-sheet-fed offset lithography technicians

Metal-sheet-fed offset lithography technicians

Heatset rotary offset lithography technicians

Coldset rotary offset lithography technicians

Rotary printing and re-reeling flexographic machine technicians

Mechanised bookbinding technicians

Mechanised hard-cover bookbinding technicians

Electricians

Electrical installation inspectors

Millwrights

Mechatronics technicians

Electronic instrument trades workers

Automotive electricians

Melters

Packaging manufacturing machine minders

Plastic products machine operators

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