Sectors and Skills

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The Need for Policy Alignment Sectors and Skills: The Need for Policy Alignment presents the results of a large-scale study of the skill demands of five economic clusters in South Africa: The high-tech sector of automotive, aerospace and big science technology such as space science, nuclear energy and biotechnology; The resource-based sector is metals, chemicals, wood, paper and pulp; The labour-intensive sector of clothing and textiles, agro-processing and the creative industries; The services sector financial services, ICT and tourism; and Public infrastructure energy and transport. Drawing on the skills of scholars and expert consultants throughout South Africa, the findings point to highly differentiated socio-economic conditions and divergent prospects for future growth in each sector. The analysis shows that each sector requires customised skills development strategies to meet specific sectoral conditions. This places widely diverging demands on the education and training system, which, in turn, necessitates far greater levels of alignment between skills development and industrial policies. The monograph is based on a 2006 study of sector-specific research and related skills requirements commissioned by the South African Department of Labour. It formed part of a wider research project related to the National Skills Development Strategy and the National Industrial Policy Framework of 2007, for which the Human Sciences Research Council led a research consortium comprising the Development Policy Research Unit at the University of Cape Town and the Sociology of Work Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand. Economic policy-makers, small business development and funding agencies, academics, development planners and human resource strategists will find this vital in conceptualising and formulating new skills development strategies.

Introduction

Chapter 1 Sectors and skills: the need for policy alignment (Andre Kraak)
Chapter 2 Automotive components (Julian Barnes)
Chapter 3 Aerospace (Erika Kraemer-Mbula)
Chapter 4 Three new technology platforms (Jo Lorentzen and Il-haam Petersen)
Chapter 5 Metals beneficiation (Johann Maree, Paul Lundall and Shane Godfrey)
Chapter 6 Chemicals (Rhoanda van Zyl)
Chapter 7 Wood, Paper and Pulp (Thomas E. Pogue)
Chapter 8 Energy (Jeff Lomey and Kent McNamara)
Chapter 9 Transport (Jan Havenga)
Chapter 10 Clothing and textiles (Mike Morris and Lyn Reed)
Chapter 11 Agro-processing (Duncan Pieterse)
Chapter 12 Creative industries (Avril Joffe and Monica Newton)
Chapter 13 Financial services (Sean Archer)
Chapter 14 Information and communication technologies (ICT) (Andrew Paterson and Joan Roodt)
Chapter 15 Tourism (Nicci Earle)
Chapter 16 Skills-industry misalignment in the South African economy (Andre Kraak)
Conclusion
Contributors
Index

Dr Andre Kraak is a former Research Director for Human Resources Development and Science Studies in the Education, Science and Skills Development research programme at the HSRC. He is currently and independent Education and Training Research Consultant in South Africa.