Closing the Skills Gap for Tomorrow’s Jobs – An EE Imperative
Employers across South Africa are grappling with a growing disconnect: the roles they need to fill tomorrow require skills that too few people — particularly within designated groups — currently possess. This comes at a time when amendments to the Employment Equity Act have introduced sector-specific targets that assume workforce transformation is not only possible, but planned. So how do employers reconcile long-term EE obligations with real-world skills shortages?
By shifting the question from “Where do we find skilled people?” to “How do we build them?” It’s a mindset that many of our most forward-thinking clients have already embraced — and it’s paying off, not just in compliance reports, but in operational capability, grant recoveries, and staff retention.
Here’s the guidance we give to employers who are tackling this challenge:
- Start with EE and WSP alignment.
Too often, EE Plans and Workplace Skills Plans are developed in silos. Align them so that the gaps identified in your EE Committee discussions are directly addressed in your training budget and grant strategy. - Focus on critical and scarce skills.
Work with line managers to identify what skills your business will need in 12–24 months. Then, use learnerships, internships, and targeted training to grow internal capability — especially within underrepresented groups. - Apply for Discretionary Grants proactively.
Many SETAs fund occupational and industry-specific training if it’s clearly linked to a business or sector need. We support clients in preparing strong, aligned applications tied to both B-BBEE and EE metrics. - Create structured upskilling programmes.
Don’t wait until skills are outdated. Build development programmes for semi-skilled and junior staff that include digital literacy, supervisory training, and problem-solving — the foundation for tomorrow’s work. - Monitor and report on training outcomes by demographic.
Use training records and dashboards to track how many designated employees are progressing, and link that data to your EE Plan reviews.
Closing the skills gap isn’t just about future readiness — it’s how businesses meet equity targets, unlock funding, and retain the talent they can’t afford to lose.
How we help:
At Labournet, we partner with our clients to close their internal skills gaps through:
- Integrated EE and Skills Development planning
- Identifying scarce and critical skills gaps by demographic
- Linking WSP/ATR submissions to designated development priorities
- Supporting learnership implementation, targeted upskilling, and grant application preparation
It is worth remembering that the skills gap isn’t a barrier to transformation — it’s an opportunity. Let’s close it together.
