The launch of the South African Information and Communication Technology Association’s (SAICTA’s) jobs portal comes at an opportune moment as government and business embark on Phase Three of their partnership, seeking to add a million jobs to the economy by 2030.

In announcing the partnership on 20 August, President Cyril Ramaphosa was clear that Southern Africa is well positioned to benefit from the digital revolution, while also making the point that “potential does not become prosperity by itself”.

SAICTA – which aims to bridge the gaps between education and industry; talent and opportunity; and innovation and impact – concurs that long-term stable economic growth that creates jobs will stem from policy, capable institutions, efficient infrastructure, regional value chains, and large-scale investments.

“However, stability does not just speak to government entities and capabilities,” says SAICTA CEO Dr Jannie Zaaiman. “It can equally apply to business,” he adds.

This is why SAICTA’s careers portal is not just a CV-drop mechanism that can be accessed by industry but rather an industry-to-talent connection mechanism, with graduates, professionals, employers and professional development interconnected.

The portal is designed to connect ICT professionals and jobseekers with opportunities across a broad range of leading-edge technology roles, from AI ethics, quantum computing, robotic process automation, extended reality through to computer vision, which enables computers to interpret images and video.

“Importantly, SAICTA’s association with Belgium Campus iTversity means that there are young people who are skilled in precisely the technologies that are required to aid South Africa reach a target of 3% gross domestic growth by 2030,” says Zaaiman.

Zaaiman adds that ICT has much to offer sectoral growth push drivers such as energy, transport and logistics, mining, tourism, infrastructure, and agriculture and agro processing.

“ICT is cross-cutting across all these industries as it has the potential to not only add efficiencies to company operations, thereby improving productivity and profit to enable further growth, but can also enable increased competition,” says Zaaiman.

Zaaiman notes that increased competition on the global stage creates the potential for businesses to expand, enter new markets and ultimately create more jobs. “Moreover, a globally competitive company can contribute to improving South Africa’s balance of trade by bringing business into the country, which has a ripple effect on economic growth,” he adds.

In addition, SAICTA’s professional development courses are now available, covering 579 courses that include sector-specific modules as well as softer skills including emotional intelligence and problem-solving.

“Through these modules, we make it easier for young people to shine during interviews and showcase their skills in the best possible way,” says Zaaiman. Through this, he adds, SAICTA can go some way on helping alleviate the high unemployment rate of 60.9% for young people between the ages of 15 and 24.

“If South Africa is serious about turning its digital potential into economic growth, we need to ensure that the people with the skills are connected to the businesses that need them, while giving businesses the technology and capabilities to compete and grow,” says Zaaiman.

“That is where ICT can make a meaningful contribution to the country’s growth and jobs ambitions.”