While South Africa’s ICT sector continues to experience a widening skills gap, the problem is less about a shortage of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates, and more about their lack of industry exposure and practical experience.
This is the sentiment shared by Kelvin Nhlapo, newly-appointed GM of the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA), speaking during an interview with ITWeb TV, focused on his vision for the professional body.
The IITPSA is SA’s recognised professional body for ICT practitioners and focuses on professionalising the sector through continuous professional development, ethical computing and skills development.
Nhlapo, who officially assumed his role on 1 April, places the country’s ICT skills crisis firmly at the centre of the institute’s agenda, noting one of his key priorities is strengthening collaboration between industry and academia.
The IT skills crisis, he notes, is caused by a perfect storm of factors − including educational misalignment, rapid technological change, global competition and the education system’s inability to sufficiently equip students for a technology-driven economy.
At the heart of the widening gap lies a fragile education-to-employment pipeline, he notes.
“There’s a gap between the graduates and what the industry is looking for. The industry must open its doors for more internships and learnerships so they have graduates that are ready to fit in the roles firms are looking for.”
Nhlapo says while SA continues to produce significant numbers of ICT students, many graduates leave tertiary institutions with theoretical knowledge but little exposure to real-world working environments.
“I don’t think there’s a shortage of ICT graduates. When I go to universities, during career days and orientation events, the rooms are filled with students studying computer science disciplines. The challenge is that when these students graduate, they’ve only had educational theory. They were not exposed to the industry in most cases.”
The IITPSA ICT Skills Survey 2024 reveals South Africa’s ICT sector continues to face a mismatch between graduate readiness and industry requirements, particularly in high-demand areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, cloud computing, DevOps and big data analytics.
Employers report that many ICT graduates lack practical, work-ready experience and often require additional in-house training before becoming fully productive, it says.
According to Nhlapo, this requires stronger participation from corporate SA and government. He believes companies need to provide more opportunities for students to shadow professionals, gain workplace exposure and participate in internships before graduating.
“I keep saying this because I’m passionate about it – industry must open more doors. When students are in second or third year, companies should allow them to come sit in offices, shadow someone and gain practical experience.”
The IITPSA facilitates opportunities where possible, although Nhlapo admitted these remain limited.
The institute has also been working closely with universities to establish IITPSA student chapters, giving students exposure to the ICT industry through networking opportunities, newsletters, industry events and data centre tours.
“We give them a window into the actual industry they’re going to work in. Something might catch their interest and they’ll say: ‘I also want to become a cyber security expert’ or ‘I want to become a data analyst’.”
Reskilling required
According to Nhlapo, the rapid emergence of technologies such as AI, cyber security tools, cloud computing and data analytics is placing further pressure on the local ICT workforce to continuously reskill.
“There’s a growing need for reskilling because AI has brought a lot of changes into our industry. We need to reskill ourselves as ICT professionals to align with what the industry requires today, and in the future.”
He warned that ICT practitioners who fail to adapt, risk becoming irrelevant in an industry evolving at an unprecedented speed.
“AI will not replace professionals, but professionals who don’t adapt will be replaced. Continuing professional development is no longer optional for ICT professionals wanting to remain competitive. It’s not just something you should be doing. It’s necessary for you to stay relevant as an ICT practitioner.”
The institute hosts webinars, conferences and networking sessions covering AI, cyber security, innovation and software testing. It also partners with training providers and event organisers, including ITWeb, to expose members to emerging technologies and thought leadership.
Nhlapo pointed out that IITPSA-accredited training providers are increasingly rolling out AI-focused programmes as organisations rush to upskill their workforce.
“There is a hunger and a drive to upskill people in these new technologies. The professionals themselves also need to take ownership of their careers. No one can push you. You need to push yourself. Take initiative, find a course and upskill yourself.”
Strengthening professionalism
Beyond skills development, Nhlapo wants to position IITPSA as a stronger voice in SA’s ICT sector.
The institute has approximately 6 000 members across various membership categories, ranging from high school learners and university students, to seasoned CIOs and ICT executives.
Growing membership numbers and increasing awareness about the value of the professional body are among his immediate priorities.
“People must understand why a professional body exists. I want South African IT professionals to be more interested in joining and becoming members.”
He also wants the institute to become more “member-centric and value-driven”, while increasing its influence on ICT-related national policies and skills development frameworks.
“I want to strengthen the voice of the institute in contributing to national policies and skills development. Part of this strategy includes creating clearer professional pathways for ICT careers.
“There are so many different roles in ICT, and sometimes people don’t understand what being an IT professional actually means. We need to make ICT more visible and exciting for the younger generation.”
He believes this is particularly important for learners from underserved communities, as well as for improving gender representation within the sector.
While acknowledging that gender disparities within the ICT sector remain, Nhlapo is of the view that the industry is making progress.
According to IITPSA’s latest annual report, female membership within the institute increased steadily during the past year. The organisation also operates a dedicated ‘Women in IT’ chapter aimed at encouraging more women to pursue ICT careers.
“ICT is not only for men. Young girls need to see women in leadership roles so they can picture themselves there too. The ‘Women in IT’ initiative is entirely women-led and focuses specifically on increasing female participation in the sector.”
Looking ahead, Nhlapo sees the institute evolving into what he describes as the “ethical and professional home” for South Africa’s ICT practitioners.
His longer-term ambitions include strengthening industry partnerships, growing youth pipelines and ensuring the institute remains relevant in an increasingly digital economy.
“This is a new chapter for the institute; it’s an opportunity for growth, a new direction and stronger collaboration with the industry.”
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