FINAL WORD
Johann van Niekerk , Co- Founder and CEO , Outsized
Adesh Nathalal , Education Manager , SAS South Africa
individuals need time on the ground to truly understand the work and workplace culture .
This model makes sense for skilled talent because it provides a trial period for them to assess whether the employer is a good fit for their needs and services before making a commitment .
Many independents choose to work for themselves to maintain control over their work terms . With high standards and sought-after skills , they have the flexibility to select from various opportunities , whether short-term or permanent .
Contract-to-hire allows talent to evaluate if a company enables them to perform well and grow their skillset . It also offers a chance to get a foot in the door at dream companies on a contract basis , with the potential for a permanent position . When they showcase their skills , create value , and meet deadlines , they can leverage their performance to negotiate a permanent offer .
This provides both talent and employers with tangible evidence of value , which is more compelling than negotiating based on a resume and often unverifiable past performance details .
Contract-to-hire is a win-win model , particularly at a time when the pool of independent talent is surging , and businesses are looking to reduce recruitment costs . This model is especially useful for industries struggling to attract talent , organisations cautiously expanding into new areas , or teams needing to hire quickly to fill gaps .
Supported by clear communication from both sides , contract-to-hire exemplifies agility , efficiency , risk mitigation , and transparency . It offers the fastest and most effective way for both parties to determine if they are the right fit for each other .
As the demand for skilled talent continues to rise , adopting a contract-to-hire approach ensures that businesses can adapt quickly while providing independent talent with opportunities to showcase their abilities and secure long-term positions . This model truly benefits both employers and skilled talent , fostering successful , sustainable working relationships .
Africa ’ s STEM skills crunch
Local industry events like Coding4Mandela and Teachers4DataAnalytics are vital to expose young people to the career opportunities available for those with STEM skills . The private sector must also engage with universities to ensure that their programmes are capable of developing industry-ready talent .
The SAS Specialisation programs for universities is another example of how tertiary institutions can get access to the means to develop technical skills in students . When combined with the practical exposure that hackathons like The Curiosity Cup and SAS Hackathon provide , and SAS-based industry certification available at a much-discounted rate to students , there are opportunities to provide students with an advantage when it comes to applying for their first job .
However , a traditional reliance on university degrees may not be enough . The How to Solve the Data Science Skills Shortage report indicated that large companies would consider dropping their degree requirements . While they largely want to work with academic institutions to recruit technology talent directly , they also understand that relying on graduates alone will not fill vacancies fast enough .
Here are three recommendations to address the technology skills gap :
• Consolidate diverse AI and analytics tools around modern , open , multi-language tools which will increase data science productivity and empower end users to do basic analytics tasks .
• Democratising analytics will allow more people to join the field .
• Increase upskilling and cross-skilling of the existing workforce , including people from non-technical backgrounds .
• Encourage a diverse range of certifications , including training courses from software tools vendors .
• Create a learning environment and culture where employees are empowered and encouraged to grow their skills .
It is clear that urgent action is needed to tackle this technical skills crisis that is already stifling productivity and innovation across the globe , from the US to South Africa . It starts at the school level from a young age with the focus on data literacy and leveraging free cloud applications like SAS DataFly and the downloadable toolkit .
The labour market continues to evolve as technology solutions such as AI advance at pace . Building and maintaining talent that can remain relevant during this evolution is crucial especially when we consider local youth unemployment rates , and the global STEM talent crunch .
In 2018 , Korn Ferry predicted a global technology labour skills shortage of 4.3 million workers , and unrealised output of $ 449.70 billion , by 2030 . With technology underpinning all other sectors of the global economy , this talent shortage could stall advancement not only in the technology space but across industries . p
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