Courses That Are in Demand in South Africa: Apply Today

Courses That Are in Demand in South Africa: Apply Today

‘Which courses are in demand in South Africa?’ If this is a question you’ve been asking yourself then buckle up as we will be satisfying your curiosity in this article.

In today’s article, we will cover some of the courses in demand in South Africa and the institutions you can apply to pursue a career in that particular course.

We'll also provide you with a list of companies hiring for jobs in that career path to give you an idea of where to apply for work after completion of your course.

Let’s get started

Courses in Demand

Engineering Courses 

The engineering field has a variety of careers one can pursue after completing a program in the sector. Engineers use mathematics and science to solve problems by creating structures that will make the lives of others easier. Depending on the field one is certified in.

There are different types of engineers such as: 

Mechanical engineer - fixes complex and simple vehicle-related problems

Civil engineer - designs tunnels, bridges, railways, roads, dams, airports, and more. 

Computer engineer - develops new manufacturing processes for chemical production and more. Usually, someone in this career path works with pharmaceuticals, food processing, and industrial chemicals.

Engineering skills are one of the scarcest in South Africa as most students shy away from maths and science deeming them too difficult to understand and master. 

Some engineering courses you can apply for if you’d like to study in that field:

• Diploma in Chemical Engineering at Unisa

• Diploma in Civil Engineering at Unisa 

• BoilerMaking Course at Tshwane North TVET College 

• Diploma in Industrial Engineering at Unisa

• Diploma: Engineering Technology in Mechanical Engineering at CUT

See more here: Courses in Engineering

Companies you can work at once you have your qualification in Engineering:

• Sasol

• Eskom

• Seriti

• Anglo American 

• Transnet, and more.

Cyber Security Courses

Another one on the list of courses in demand is programs in cyber security. Cyber Security falls under the information technology (IT) umbrella and is the practice of ensuring safety on the internet by protecting users, companies, and national governments from experiencing cyber attacks online or getting hacked.

Different types of professions in the cyber security field:

Information security analyst - monitors networks for security breaches

Digital forensic examiner  - gathers digital information from user's systems to be used as evidence in legal events such as court cases

Security engineer - build strong systems to keep companies' networks and their data safe

Cyber Security Courses are in demand as the world's going digital and most transactions are now done online without needing physical interaction. As such, it's important to monitor users' activities on the internet to safeguard them from harm.

Some cyber security courses you can apply for if you’d like to venture into the field:

• Introduction to Cyber Security at Cisco Networking Academy 

• Short Learning Program in Cyber Security at UJ

• Foundations of Cyber Security at Coursera

• Online Cyber Security Short Course at CPUT

• Diploma in Cyber Security at OHSC

Companies you can work at once you have your qualification in cyber security:

• Standard Bank 

• Deloitte

• FirstRand

• Nexio

• Sanlam,  and many more.

Find more here: Cyber Security Courses 

Nursing Courses 

Nurses occupy many spaces in the healthcare sector, however, there can never be enough of them as over 100 000 people get injured per year and end up needing medical assistance.  

Nurses assist injured or sick patients whenever they come to their facility to get help with any medical situation. They work alongside doctors to aid them in treating the patients. In hindsight, nurses are just as important as doctors regardless different ranks. 

Different professions in the Nursing field:

Clinical nurses - assess, diagnose, and treat admitted patients. These nurses have either earned a master's or doctorate qualification in nursing

Midwife nurses - aid in delivering newborn babies at a public or private facility and making sure both the mother and baby are taken care of during the process. They also provide medical care to other patients as they have dual knowledge of general nursing and midwifery 

Psychiatric nurses - these nurses care for the physical and psychological well-being of patients with certain mental health conditions e.g. Alzheimer patients.

Some nursing courses you can apply for if you’d like to explore this field:

• BA in Nursing Sciences at Unisa

• Higher Certificate in Nursing 

• Diploma in Nursing at Netcare

• B. Nursing at North West 

• Bachelor of Nursing Sciences at UP

Companies you can work at once you have your qualification in nursing:

• Clicks

• Dischem

• Mediclinic 

• Ampath Laboratories 

• SANBS, and others.

Find more here: Nursing Courses 

Hospitality Courses

Hospitality courses are also among the courses in demand in South Africa that's because they revolve around creating scrumptious dishes and tending to customers. And it's no brainer that events are held weekly here in South Africa meaning there'll also be a need for catering services. 

Different professions in the hospitality field: 

Chef - prepares various delicacies for guests and customers at hotels, restaurants, private functions, and other places

Hotel Manager - handles all duties related to their place of employment and makes sure everything is operational

Events Manager - works in many industries overseeing different tasks at events such as conventions, sports events, and leisure events 

Some hospitality courses you can apply for if you’d like to step into this field:

• Hospitality and Catering Course at NorthLink College 

• Professional Cook Qualification at Capital Hotel School 

• Bachelor of Consumer Science at Unisa

• Hospitality and Catering Services Course at FalseBay College 

Companies or places you can work at once you have your qualification in hospitality:

• Empact Group

• SilverLake Trading 

• One&Only Hotel

• Marriott Hotel

• Accor Hotel, and more.

Find more here: Hospitality Courses in South Africa 

Paramedic Courses

Just like nurses, paramedics assist injured individuals on roads or in their homes before transporting them to the nearest healthcare facility for further treatment.

There's a large demand for personnel in the basic Ambulance Assistant sector as only 76% of them are currently registered with the HPCSA. While 96,000 more will be needed in 2030 to work alongside paramedics. Which means there'll be an increment in paramedics required as well.

Unfortunately, paramedic courses don't offer many career paths as the field isn't too broad and is limited to being a paramedic at different stages from entry-level to advanced stage.

Some paramedic courses you can apply for if you’d like to venture into the field:

• Introduction to Paramedicine Studies at Alison Learning Platform 

• Diploma in Emergency Medical Care at UJ

• Higher Certificate in Emergency Medical Care at Netcare 

• Fundamentals of Ambulance Care Assistant at Alison Learning Platform 

• Diploma in Emergency Medical Care at Mediclinic Higher Education 

Companies or places you can work at once you have your qualification in the paramedic sector:

• Anglo American 

• Mediclinic 

• Netcare

• Clinix Health Group 

• And ER24 among others

Find more here: Paramedic Courses in South Africa 

Traffic Officer Courses

Traffic officers are in demand. As such traffic officer courses are among the courses in demand in South Africa. There are many road users operating their vehicles day in and day out around the country.

Hence there needs to be some monitoring done to ensure that the motorists and pedestrians are following the rules of the road. Which is why traffic officers are needed in large volumes.

Having enough officers might reduce our 1.3 million car crash death rate per year by 50% in 2030, as per the road safety officials' goals.

Professions in the traffic officer field are limited however one can further their studies or training and advance up the ladder to obtain a higher traffic officer role.

Some traffic officer courses you can apply for if you’d like to venture into the field:

• Traffic officer Training at Gene Louw Traffic College 

• Traffic Officer Diploma Course at KZN Traffic Training College 

• Traffic Officer Courses at Matjhabeng Traffic Training Academy 

• Police & Traffic Law at Rand Training College 

• Traffic Officer Course at Limpopo Traffic Training College 

Companies or places you can work at once you have your qualification in traffic policing:

• Road Traffic Management Corporations 

• And in various municipal areas e.g Lekwa Municipality 

Find more here: Traffic Officer Courses  

Benefits of Studying Courses in Demand

Studying a course in demand at university offers many perks. It increases job opportunities and higher salaries, as companies need people with these skills urgently.

The topics are current and interesting, making learning fun. Additionally, it supports career growth and provides job security, ensuring a stable and successful career path.

Conclusion

Studying is important. However, you should pick a course that you are interested in and will be able to find or create a job in. Demand courses are great as chances of getting employed are high.

But only select a course that you like when looking for programs to study. And if it’s one in demand then lucky you.

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