“Savvy jobseekers understand that the job market is tough but that they are not helpless and they have some power to elevate their candidacy over that of others with the same qualification,” says Wonga Ntshinga, senior head of programme: Faculty of ICT at The Independent Institute of Education.
“The job market is getting increasingly hard to crack, particularly in South Africa, with the unemployment rate growing quarterly and currently standing at 27.7%. This means that not only are people losing jobs, but also the number of graduates looking for work has increased. Because jobseekers have to continuously equip themselves with more skills, experience and education, we are increasingly seeing students and alumni wide-skilling, by opting to do an additional course to broaden their existing field of competence.”
According to the recent Future of Jobs report released by the World Economic Forum, the most sought-after skills in the workplace – what are termed 21st century skills – include complex problem solving, critical thinking, people management and coordination with others, judgment and decision making and cognitive flexibility.
“In order to be competent, but more importantly, to be able to demonstrate competency in these areas to future employers, broadening one’s field of expertise is vital.
“No amount of sound technical and theoretical understanding will suffice in the world of work, without a solid repertoire of complementary skills which demonstrate range, versatility and resilience. Currently, universities and private higher education institutions annually accommodate more than 1 million students, with government aiming to add 500,000 more students by 2030. This will exponentially increase the competition for employment, which means that the trend of wide-skilling is only set to increase in future.”
Adding writing skills to your competencies proves that you know how to conduct and write business documents and, as the need arises, to present the company internally or externally to important stakeholders.
“The above-mentioned combinations or their equivalents will cultivate your skills and leave you in a stronger position when looking for work and advancement in your career. These additional skills can come from formal traditional short courses, through certified online education, or through enrolling on a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). The impact on your career is that you offer a potent skills combination and have demonstrated your commitment to continuous, lifelong learning. You are no longer just another applicant,” concludes Ntshinga.
For more information, go to www.theworldofwork.co.za.
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