Buoyant job market cries out for skills

ALAN PEAT IN THE freight and trade industry sectors the job market is very buoyant – both nationally and in individual centres. That’s how Lee Botti, head of Lee Botti & Associates described it - with her company recording more than 150 positions available each week on a national basis. “Temp assignments are also up 30% on last year,” she added. The jobs are varied, according to Bruce Bonnin of Bruce Bonnin Staff Solutions. Talking the Durban scene, he said: “At the moment, there are both people looking for jobs, and employers looking to fill positions – and that’s right across the spectrum.” Dr Lynn Ribton-Turner of Ribton-Turner Recruitment, agrees. Looking particularly at the Johannesburg market, she suggested that the recruitment books were full. But she, Botti and Bonnin agreed: “There is a definite skills shortage”. Ribton-Turner noted the skills shortage here matches that overseas – quoting a press article which said that 40% of employers worldwide were struggling to fill positions. It’s both a global and an industry-and-commerce wide problem. But, looking specifically at the SA freight and trade industries, the three agreed on four positions where it’s a struggle to find the right skills and experience. Customs entry clerks, tariff consultants, high-calibre controllers and specialised sales staff are all scarce to find. And in that sales category, Botti said: “Because of the shortage of these skills and also the diversity of their businesses, clients are now open to training those from allied industries with the potential for sales.” The dearth of skills is not being ignored by those in the industry, according to Bonnin. “A lot of companies are now starting to think in terms of learnership programmes to fill this void,” he said. There has also been a concentration in the freight forwarding industry recently on tertiary qualifications for senior management positions, according to Ribton-Turner. There are three specifics in the freight industry that are also affecting the job market, she said. “Mergers and acquisitions have increased the nervous­ness in the market and are slowing staff movement. Also, the quest for black economic empowerment (BEE) staff is slowing down. “Third is the HIV/Aids situation, which obviously continuously sees the industry losing staff numbers.” Bonnin felt that BEE still remained a crucial factor in industry employment. “The essence of BEE scorecards,” he told FTW, “is crucial in the job market at the moment.”