Viable Career Paths in South Africa

The economy of South Africa is known to have it’s instability, especially considering the extreme political change that’s happened. Having said that, impressive job opportunities are always there for individuals that are willing to get educated and go through any legal roundabouts to get into such positions. This article will go over some industries a young South African should consider before picking a career at university.

Mining Industry

Ever since South Africa’s early colonial history, the mining industry alone had made this distant tip of Africa a place to seek great wealth. While modern South Africa is more diversified, the rich mineral wealth cannot be looked over.

South Africa is within the top 5 nations to produce gold, and it’s quite impressive considering the population and size of the country. Platinum, chrome, diamonds and other rare earth minerals used for various industries are also extracted.

From the bottom to the top, there are lots of job opportunities if you have the right educational background. Aside from geologists or environmental engineer, the industry needs electrical engineers, chemical engineers, mining engineers, electricians, machinists, and even accountants.

For those getting their hands dirty, sites need equipment operators, drillers, surveyors, and general laborers. Even blue-collar positions will likely want some sort of basic education, from simple certifications to 4-year degrees depending on the demand.

Agriculture

While South Africa is a very arid country, well over 10% of the land is still good for food production. This sector of the economy has lot’s of demand, both in formal employment or as a self-employed farmer.

Grains, and particularly corn, make a bulk of field crops due to the climate. There is also some seasonal fruit, but most of the crops go towards food processing and manufacturing for export and domestic use alike.

As for high-paying careers in this sector of the economy, you may look towards becoming an agricultural engineer, food scientist, animal geneticist or agricultural operations manager. There may also be job opportunities in the public sector with a related degree.

Day Trading & Brokerage

The South African Rand is a major local and international power and is swapped frequently around Africa. China, the United States, and Europe are big trading partners, so forex trading with these currency pairs are not uncommon in the country.

Aside from trading with your own money, working as an advisor or manager will warrant some formal education. Degrees in finance and mathematics will go far here, as well as taking courses in portfolio management.

If you are going about things solo with an up-front investment, you should shop around for a decent Forex broker that operates in South Africa. Going into more informal money exchanging or starting a money exchanging business isn’t recommended if you want to keep things local.

Automotive Industry

When it comes to automobile production, there is no competition against South Africa’s industry. While they just have a small fraction of the continent’s population, over half of the automobile production comes from here. This is likely because factories have been open since the 1920s and large manufacturers like Toyota and Volkswagon are present here.

The government is also trying to kickstart the automotive industry with the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) and the upcoming Automotive Production and Development Programme. While it may be far-fetched, the goat is to more than double the automobile output shortly.

If you are shooting for a long-term and high-paying career in this area of the economy, consider getting a degree in Automotive Engineering Technology (AET), automotive management, or machining. There will always likely be a demand in engineering, technicians, and salesman.

Tourism

Mostly thanks to the wildlife and landscape of South Africa, millions of tourists pour into the country every year. The World Travel & Tourism Council concluded that over 10% of jobs in the country rely on tourism either directly or indirectly.

Having a degree in hospitality may serve to be useful whether you want to get a job at a large chain or start your own small business. The tourist industry is quite dynamic in terms of job types, and it may be more viable to be self-employed depending on the local situation.

Final Thoughts

There may be plenty of pessimists regarding the current state of the South African economy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be pragmatic and make a decent living. If anything, equipping yourself with a marketable university degree and getting some job experience under your belt may very well transfer to getting a higher-paying career overseas.