The renewable energy sector stepped up when legacy infrastructure was struggling to keep up. Now this sector is changing the nature of the industry in South Africa on multiple levels. From employment to innovation to global best practice, South Africas renewable energy economy is transforming how the industry operates. Yet, when it comes to employment and skills development, the sector continues to grapple with some serious gaps, says Alicia Dean , Head of People and Group Services at SOLA Group.
The first is permanence. The industry has not yet fundamentally transformed net job creation with industry estimates suggesting that only about 6 000 permanent jobs have been created to date. The rest are temporary. Many people are employed during the construction phases of projects but their skills do not always translate into long-term roles once projects move into operation.
Another challenge is how South Africas exceptionally high unemployment rate affects the adoption of intelligent technologies. Automation and robotics that may make sense in other regions cannot always be applied in the same way locally without displacing people who rely on jobs for their livelihoods. There is a constant need to strike a balance between evolving and advancing technologically while ensuring people are not left behind.
