We have jobs for Africa

There are some surprises in the list of occupations for which there is a high demand for qualified people recently published by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

According to the list, physicists and astronomers are now the fourth-most-sought-after employees.

This is most likely related to the development of the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope in Northern Cape.

There is also, according to the list, a big demand in both the private and public sectors for dieticians.

Topping the list are medical doctors. According to the World Health Organisation, South Africa has only 0.776 doctors for each 100000 of its people.

Angola is in an even more parlous position. It has a mere 0.166 per 100000.

In Australia the figure is 3.2 doctors per 100000 people and in the Russian Federation just over four.

The Department of Health last year said 56% of its posts for doctors were vacant.

There are 100 jobs on the list. Included are accountants, managers, geologists and mathematics teachers.

Government departments, academics and skills-development bodies helped compile the list.

The list is designed to assist in decision-making and long-term planning for post-school education and training.

"This document provides a list of occupations that have been identified as being in high demand at a national level.

"It is intended to inform decision-making in relation to a wide range of issues pertaining to skills planning and development."

These skills are said to be "extremely important if the goals of the National Development Plan, the New Growth Path and the Industrial Policy Action Plan are to be achieved".

The list is also intended to help prioritise student funding through the likes of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and to establish a strategy for attracting skills from abroad.

The list will be revised and republished next year.