Empowering IT Teams: Overcoming Skills Gap with Talent Development and Automation
- 1. EMPOWERING IT TEAMS: EMPOWERING IT TEAMS: By Dimakatso Masiteng Overcoming the Skills Gap with Talent Development and Automation 12 March 2025 IT Leaders Forum 2025
- 2. Professional Background: CIO at the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), leading ICT strategy and digital transformation. Over a decade of experience in IT, business analysis, and digital innovation. Started as an IT administrator but proactively took on technical roles in project management, system analysis, and development. Passionate about youth empowerment in tech and closing the digital divide Why This Topic Matters to Me: Witnessed firsthand the challenges of IT skills shortages in both public and private sectors. Led initiatives to upskill teams, introduce automation, and bridge the talent gap. Strong advocate for balancing human skills and technology to drive efficiency and innovation. INTRODUCTION
- 3. Understanding the IT skills gap and its impact on organizations Actionable talent development strategies to future-proof IT teams How automation can complement, not replace, human expertise WHAT TO EXPECT
- 4. IT SKILLS GAP – UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE Statistics on IT skills shortage: 85 million jobs may go unfilled globally by 2025 (WEF, 2023) South Africa’s demand for software developers increased by 22% in 2024 (OfferZen Report, 2024) Key challenges: Rapid tech advancements vs. slow upskilling High turnover rates and competition for skilled professionals Mismatch between education and industry needs
- 5. TALENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES Upskilling and Reskilling Approaches: Internal training programs and certifications Partnerships with universities and coding academies Cross-training within IT teams Retention Strategies: Building a learning culture Career progression and mentorship programs Employee recognition and incentives
- 6. TALENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES Upskilling and Reskilling Approaches: Internal training programs and certifications Partnerships with universities and coding academies Cross-training within IT teams Retention Strategies: Building a learning culture Career progression and mentorship programs Employee recognition and incentive Companies that invest in training retain 94% of employees vs. 30% in those that don’t (LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, 2023
- 7. Automation as a Support Tool, Not a Replacement How Automation Helps IT Teams: Reducing workload through AI-powered help desks Automating repetitive tasks (system monitoring, security alerts) Allowing IT staff to focus on strategic innovation 85% of CIOs believe automation enhances IT roles (Gartner, 2024) THE ROLE OF AUTOMATION IN IT TALENT DEVELOPMENT
- 8. CASE STUDIES & BEST PRACTICES Success Stories: Microsoft Cloud Certification impact: 25% promotion rate increase NYDA’s approach to IT talent development Lessons from public vs. private sector approaches
- 9. Balancing Human Skills & Automation is Key Investment in Continuous Learning & Development is Essential Action Points for IT Leaders: Identify key areas for automation Build structured talent development programs Encourage innovation and adaptability Forrester Research (2024): Automation & training = 23% higher profitability KEY TAKEAWAYS
- 10. THANK YOU