Skills Alignment Framework for the South African IT Industry

1. Skills Alignment Framework for the South African IT Industry Presented by: Louise vdMerwe

2. Introduction • Organisations • Specialized skilled workers • Competitive advantage = profit making • Institutes of Higher Learning • Universities provide specialized skilled people based on Industry requirements • Supposed to align curriculums with Industry requirements • Organisations' and Universities are not in an alignment • High unemployment rate of graduates • Increase in creations of graduate programs

3. Research Question and Objectives • Research Question: How can a framework be used in defining the skills gap and its influences between Industry and University? • Objectives: • Understanding the factors which influence the academic curriculums and the organisation’s requirements, and • Why curriculums of institutions of higher learning are not in alignment with industry’s needs and requirements.

4. Research Methodology • Qualitative approach • Opinions and points of view • Literature Review • Local and global • Interpretive analysis • Findings

5. Literature Review • HAAG.S, CUMMINGS. M, PHILLIPS. A. 2004. Management Information Systems for the information Age. 6th edition. McGraw Hill Publishers. • HAMER,L. 2007. University – Industry Alliances: A Foundation for Innovative Business and Science Education in Emerging Professional Graduate Programs. Journal of the Academy of Business Education, Spring 2007: Pages 24 – 30. • MACGREGOR, K. 2007. South Africa: Joblessness amid skills shortage. University World News. [Online] http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20071101145653965&mode.. Accessed: 12/08/2010

6. FindingsFactors influencing skills Development SKILL DEVELOPMENT

7. FindingsFactors influencing skills Development • Governmental Influence – political, economical • Policies, rules and regulations in the education systems • SETA created to help alleviate unemployment • Organisational Needs – specialized skilled set • Expectations for Institutions of Higher learning • Misinterpretations of some job titles and responsibilities • Curriculum Development – must review frequently to keep up with Industry • To change curriculum, require industry input

8. Developed Framework The skills alignment framework would require all participants (universities, government and organisations) to work together as one entity, to teach and prepare the students for employment. As depicted in the following diagram, some of the factors required to carry out these tasks and achieve the goal involves: cost, training, retention strategy, curriculum transformation and collaboration.

9. Skill Alignment Framework

10. Skill Alignment Framework • Cost • Train new and improve existing skills • To keep/retain the skills = incentives • Training • Education is crucial at any level (school and work) • Retention Strategy • Organisations must recruit and retain their staff • Fear of brain drain – leave for better opportunities • Curriculum Transformation • Evolve and adapt to environmental changes • Not up-to-date with factors of changing social needs, intellectual and technology trends, and industries’ competitive need. • Collaboration • Learners, educators, organisations and government • TOGETHER find a solution

11. Conclusion Specialised skills are need in an organisation to be competitive or in a country to sustain and develop economic growth. It is expected that these special skills are taught at the institutes of higher learning but it is not (as seen by the high unemployment rates of graduates). Industry is employing new workforce but is retraining through leadership or mentorship programs which costs the organisation unnecessary time and money. Collaboration through the form of; one, a partnership created and encouraged by government between institutes of higher learning and industry organisations and two, the participation of all stakeholders in the transformation of the curriculum and cooperative learning, could bridge the skills gap of university graduates and industry requirements for the workforce.

12. Thank you!