SACIA

INDUSTRY VIEWS

The skills crisis

KEVAN JONES is the executive director of the Southern African Communications Industries Association (SACIA).

Another tough year looms for 2023

Kevan Jones shares how the recent and rapid loss of technical talent is impacting the local industry.

2022 has been a complete disaster for the events industry. While the second half of the year has seen the return of events, exhibitions and gatherings, the aftermath of the country’s Covid lockdown continues to wreak havoc on the sector.

Perhaps the greatest challenge is the skills shortage we’re now facing. During the two-year ban on gatherings, many of our industry’s professional staff developed new careers outside the events industry, while others have relocated to greener pastures.

The Middle East, in particular, has provided opportunities for event organisers and technical crew. Those who’ve left now work on exciting projects, interact with international experts, and earn higher wages in a tax-free environment. Some may eventually return to South Africa, but that will not happen in the foreseeable future. Reliable estimates suggest that almost 30% of the country’s technicians are now working in the Middle East. As reports of their success circulate, more will likely follow.

ACQUIRING SKILLS TAKES TIME

Under normal circumstances, the movement of people at the top of the skills pyramid is offset by a healthy influx of young people graduating from university and college, but during lockdown, the vast majority of students have been learning in a virtual environment, and so the practical skills required by event technical crew were not taught.

Event organisers are calling for more training, but there’s no shortcut to experience, and poorly trained technical staff that have been rushed through a training programme are more likely to disrupt an event than contribute to its smooth running.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t train newcomers, but it does mean that we become ever more reliant on the available experienced technicians. To create professional events, organisers will need to plan more effectively and allocate additional time for the setup and strike of technical equipment. They’ll need to pump up their budget allocation for technical support, and they’ll need to be confident that their appointed technical contractor has the skills and technologies required to do the job.