AI skills add pressure to South Africa’s tech talent gap
Preliminary 2026 Critical Skills Survey findings show persistent shortages across ICT, AI, engineering and artisan roles, with unfilled vacancies affecting business operations.
South Africa's technology skills shortage continues to pose a significant challenge for employers, according to the preliminary findings of the 2026 Critical Skills Survey. While engineering has reclaimed the top position, artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technology skills have emerged as a distinct recruitment challenge, cited by nearly a quarter of respondents as the fourth most difficult category to recruit.
This suggests the technology skills gap is expanding as businesses seek capabilities to support the adoption of newer technologies alongside traditional roles like software development, data science, application development, and network engineering.
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