Avoiding the talent trap

The ports industry is investing and expanding rapidly in Africa – but there’s a real mismatch in terms of skills. African countries dominate the top half of the international unemployment list, and the general sentiment is that the statistics are over-optimistic and real unemployment much higher, says Cobus du Plessis at Red Sky Consulting.

Transnet's South African ports, inlcuding Duban (pictured), have embraced psychometric assessment for recruitment. Credit: Clive Reid

The ports industry is investing and expanding rapidly in Africa – but there’s a real mismatch in terms of skills. African countries dominate the top half of the international unemployment list, and the general sentiment is that the statistics are over-optimistic and real unemployment much higher, says Cobus du Plessis at Red Sky Consulting.