The much anticipated list of skills and qualifications our country cannot go without is rather interesting and has raised a few eyebrowns with immigration experts. If you’re an expat with the hope of finding a job back home, here are the skills you will need to have an easy return to SA – or have to compete with foreigners for:
Business, Economics and Management Studies – Agricultural Engineer, Agricultural Scientist, Forestry Technician, Sheep Shearer, Architect, Construction Project Manager, Land Surveyor, Quantity Surveyor, Urban and Regional Planner, Actuaries and Risk Assessors, Corporate General Manager, External Auditor, Financial Investment Advisor.
Information Communication & Technology – CISCO Solution Specialist, CISCO Engineers, Solutions Architects in Telecommunications and ICT, Integrated Developers (PHP, PERL, JAVA), Network Analyst, IT Security Specialist, System Integration Specialist, Enterprise Architects, Data Centre Operations, Network Specialist (Security), Database Specialist, Microsoft System Engineers, Network Controllers, AV Specialist (Anti-virus), Desktop, Support Engineer
Engineering – Energy Engineer, Metallurgical Engineer, Chemical Engineer, Civil Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Electrical Installation Inspector, Electronics Engineer, Geologist, Industrial and Production Engineers, Industrial Designer, Manufacturing Managers, Materials Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Mining Engineer, Production/Operations Manager, Quality System Manager, Research and Development Manager, Ship’s Engineer, Telecommunications Engineers, Electrical Engineering Technologist, Energy Engineering Technologist, Mechanical Engineering Technologist, Meallurgical Engineering Technologist, Mining Engineering Technologist, Air Conditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber, Automotive Electrician, Automotive Motor Mechanic, Boiler Maker,Chemical Engineering Technologist, Cvil Engineering Technologist, Diesel Mechanic, Electronics Engineering Technologist, Fitter and Turner, Materials Engineering Technologist, Mechatronics Technician, Metal Fabricator, Physical and Engineering Science Technicians, Pressure Welder, Structural Plaster, Toolmaker.
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences – Medical Superintendant/Public Health Manager, Public Health Physician, General and Specialist Medical Practitioner, Hospital Pharmacist, Nursing Professionals, Veterinarian, Registered Nurse (child and family health), Retail Pharmacist.
Life and Earth Sciences – environmental Engineers, Environmental Manager, Industrial Pharmacist, Aquatic Scientist, Animal Scientist, Advanced Composites Engineering, Archaeological/Paleontological Specialist, Bioeconomist, Biochemists, Bioinformatician, Bioinformaticist, Biological Scientist, Botanical Scientist, Chemical Scientist, Computational Biologist, Environmental Scientist, Ecological Scientist, Food Scientist, Engineering Geologist, Geochemist, Geohazards Specialist, Geologist, Geophycist, Laboratory Technologist and Technician, Marine Bioscientist, Materials Scientist, Metallurgical Scientist, Metrology, Microbiological Scientist, Polymer Scientist, Protein Scientist, Seismologist, Soil Scientist, Toxicology Scientist, Water Resource Scientist.
Professionals and Associate Professional – Land and Engineering Surveyors, Electronic Engineering Technician, Materials Engineering Technologist, Electrical Engineering, Technician, Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Practitioner, Draughtsperson, Mechanical Engineering Technician, Chemical Engineering Technician, Organisation and Methods Analyst (Incl. scheduler, estimator), Surveying Technician, Geomatics Technician, Quantity Surveying Technician, Civil Engineering Technician, Materials Engineer Non-destructive Testing (NDT), Materials Engineering Technician – Road materials, Materials Tester, Construction Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) Agent/Manager/Officer, Aeronautical Engineering, Architectural Senior Technologist, Architectural Draughtsperson, Astronomer, Physicist (SKA), Geomagnetic Physicist, Solar Physicist, Space Physicist, Plasma Physicist, Space Technologist, Space Weather Specialist, Magnetic Technology Specialist, Radar Engineering, Radio Frequency Engineering, Environmental Technologist, Industrial Engineer, Industrial Engineering Technologist, Industrial Engineering Technician, Landscape Architect, Landscape Contract Manager, Landscape Horticulturalist, Mining Technician
Trades – Millwright, Boilermaker (For Strategic Infrastructure Projects), Industrial Machinery, Mechanic, Pipe Fitter, Double Coded Welder, Rigger, Moulder, Raise-bore Operators, Raise-bore Foreman.
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) – Software Development Engineers and Managers, Systems Architects, Engineers and Managers, Foreign Language speakers for specialist language support and technical or sales support (German, Swiss German, Flemish, Greek, Swedish, Danish, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and French), Business Analyst, Quality Analyst, Quality Assurance Specialist/Auditor, Customer Service Manager/Team Lead
Academics and Researchers – Doctoral Graduates (Acquired Abroad), Research in any of the following areas; Galaxy Formation and Evolution, Galaxy Structure and Dynamics, Pulsars and Black Holes, Pulsars and Gravitational Waves, Deep Observations of the earliest Radio Galaxies, Dynamic and Transient Burst, VLBI Operations, Search for CO to investigate role of Molecular Hydrogen, Deep Surveyors of Neutral Hydrogen Gas in the Early Universe, Cosmology and Dark Energy, Cosmic Magnetism, Calibration and Imaging of Radio Interferometer data, Pulsar Research, Pulsar and Gravitational Waves, VLBI Operations, Signal Processing, Observational Radio Astronomy in General, Algorithm for Radio Astronomy, Signal Processing for Radio Astronomy, Supercomputing for Radio Astronomy, Software Development for Radio Astronomy, Data and Streaming- Real-Time Processing of Massive Data Amounts, Green Computing- Extreme Performance at Minor Energy Cost, Performance at Minor Energy Costs, EMC and Spectrum Management, Beam Modelling, Antenna Modelling, Feeds for Radio Astronomy Systems, Receivers for Radio Astronomy Systems, Signal Processing for Radio Astronomy, High Speed Data Transport, Nano-photonics-Data Transport Power, Nanotechnology, Palaeosciences, Reduction over Short and Long Distances, Antenna Design, Antenna Foundation Design, RFI Shielded Buildings and Facilities, Advanced Manufacturing, Space Science and Technology, Global Change, Energy Security, Information Communication Technology, Earth Observation, Natural and Applied Sciences.