The LMIP Briefing is an evidence-based contribution to informing the development of a skills planning mechanism for South Africa. It showcases our cutting edge research and aims to highlight key trends and potential implications from the research projects.

LMIP Briefing 4

 The Labour Market Intelligence Partnership (LMIP) proposed a credible skills planning mechanism consisting of two dimensions:

  1. a labour market intelligence system (LMIS) concerned with the collection, collation, analysis and dissemination of information and
  2. a decision making process, based on labour market intelligence to determine where and how resources are allocated for skills development.

In order to achieve this, we propose a National Skills Planning and Intelligence Unit (NaSPIU). The broad functions of such a unit would be to:

  • Develop a scarce skills/ occupations in high demand list;
  • Develop Key Indicators of Skills Planning to support the skills planning processes at the national, sectoral, occupational, provincial, employer and provider level;
  • Establish how data will be collected, collated and analysed in a format that can inform the planning process;
  • Track occupational and other skills trends in the labour market;
  • Understand the supply of skills at different levels, covering formal institutions, private training providers and the workplace;
  • Provide indicative forecasts of future skill requirements;
  • Identify the skill implication of government’s industrial and trade strategies;
  • Track regional dimensions to skills in demand;Monitor the implementation progress of different skills strategies.

The proposed National Skills Planning and Intelligence Unit should be established and start off with the following sub-units:

  1. Skills Planning and Liaison sub-unit;
  2. Research and Analysis sub-unit and
  3. Labour Market Intelligence and Reporting sub-unit.