Tech industry a lucrative option for school leavers

Tech experts yesterday said that the technology industry remains a lucrative option for South African school leavers, especially given the shortage of tech skills within the country.

With matric results now out, young people across South Africa are looking to figure out what career they should pursue.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced that the national matric pass rate had increased from 75.1% in 2017 to 78.2 in 2018, with Gauteng leading the provinces followed by the Free State.

Experts say that young people can attain digital and technology skills without having to go through traditional universities, and the technology space is desperate for locally-grown talent.

Glenn Gillis, chief executive and founder of Sea Monster Entertainment, an animation, gaming and augmented reality business based in Cape Town, said even if school leavers do not want to pursue a career in technology, they would do well to ensure that they have some digital skills when they enter the workplace.

“The great thing for any young person wanting to get into the technology space is that it’s constantly evolving, meaning that there are always new avenues to explore.

“You only have to look at the recent explosion of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality to see this,” Gillis said.

Gillis said that means demand for people skilled in them will only grow, especially in developing markets like South Africa.

“At present, the best way to get into these spaces is to build on a good coding foundation with experimentation and online courses. That said, opportunities are starting to emerge in the formal space, most notably with UWC’s Postgraduate Diploma in e-Skills with Immersive Technologies.”

Mich Atagana, head of communications and public affairs for South Africa at Google, said school leavers need to prepare for a more technologically and digitally-led future, regardless of the career fields high school leavers wish to pursue. – ANA