How to take advantage of the scarce skills crisis

For many South Africans, getting a degree is simply out of reach, because of financial or academic concerns. But there are other options.

"Perhaps it is the myth of the coveted university degree and prize career believed to follow that has many pupils blinded to the potential of alternative qualifications and career paths," says Mario Landman, the head of the Institute of Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

He has the following advice:

Take advantage of the growing skills gap in South Africa. The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2013-14 concluded that one of the most problematic factors for doing business in South Africa is an inadequately educated workforce. Although professions that require a university degree, such as engineering and medicine, feature strongly on the government's list of scarce skills, there are many others, including trades such as welding, mechanics and boilermaking, that can be studied as a learnership;

There are plenty of alternatives to the traditional universities. Public and private technical and vocational education and training colleges and institutions of higher learning offer degrees, diplomas, certificates and short courses that are less expensive and can often be more useful; and

Along with considering one of the listed scarce skills, ensure you have the other skills employers look for.

"Employers cite a poor understanding of basic business functions, a lack of real-world perspective and the inability to work in teams as some of the reasons people battle to find work," says Landman.