Challenges in Ascertaining ICT Skills Requirements in South Africa

World wide, a number of far-reaching decisions regarding ways to address the ICT skills shortage are made by both the public and private sectors. These are based on information obtained from various sources and in various ways including quantitative research reports commissioned by government authorities. This paper reports on findings of a systematic textual examination of existing ICT skills shortage research reports with the South African reports receiving particular attention. This analysis shows that the collection of accurate data on ICT skills availability is extremely difficult, if not impossible, as the skills categories used in a diverse, ever-changing ICT environment are ill-defined, the data collection procedures are flawed and the results are difficult to interpret. In addition, successive reports frequently note the weaknesses of the data, but then use it as the basis for their findings. A recommendation from this research is that a Research Methodologies group be formed specifically to discuss this and with the brief to suggest some guidelines and to monitor and endorse future data collection and analysis.