The Fourth Industrial Revolution

THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is an era where people are using smart, connected and converged Cyber, Physical and Biological systems and smart business models to define and reshape the social, economic and political spheres. ‘ (PC4IR, 2020).

The advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has necessitated that the MICT SETA establish a new Division, developed 4IR Integrated Digital Skills Strategy and established 4IR Advisory Committees to enable an inclusive sectoral approach.

4IR ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The MICT SETA has subsequently formed a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Skills Advisory Committee that aims to provide input and guidance on the major technological shifts, innovation and workforce strategies that will impact skills planning and implementation.
The Committee is made up of four (4) work streams (Research, Education, Policy and Labour) and the chairpersons of each stream constitute one committee.
The role of the Advisory Committee is to:

• Develop an integrated MICT SETA strategy and plan to respond to the 4IR.
• Advise on strategies to enhance MICT subsector’s global competitiveness;
• Advise on a research programme to advance 4IR;
• Advise on the skills development and future of work;
• Make recommendations on enabling relevant infrastructure for South Africa to participate in the digital economy
• Scale-up skills development for the youth in data analytics, coding, the internet of things, blockchain and machine learning;
• Design a social plan to address re-training and support for workers that could potentially be displaced by new technologies;
• Open up opportunities for young people to develop new software and applications, devices and equipment through specialised start-up support programmes; and
• Give enhanced support to existing innovation centres and hubs over the next three years

ESTABLISHMENT OF RESEARCH CHAIRS

Chapter 9 of the National Development Plan (NDP) sets a range of numerical objectives to be met by 2030, including the objectives listed below:

• Produce more than 100 doctoral graduates per million per year by 2030. This implies an increase from 1,420 in 2010 to well over 5,000 a year; and
• Expand science, technology and innovation outputs by increasing research and development spending by government and through encouraging industry to do so.

Through our 4IR Research chairs we fund Masters and Doctoral Students pursuing 4IR related research projects. We established 4IR Research Chairs at the following institutions:

Tshwane University of Technology

University of Western Cape

Durban University of Technology

University of Johannesburg

University of Kwa-Zulu Natal

University of Limpopo

4IR QUALIFICATIONS

The MICT SETA further embarked on a process of developing qualifications to respond to the digital and future skills gaps introduced by the technological advancement.

To date, thirty-two qualifications have been developed

1. Artificial Intelligence
2. Cyber security;
3. Cloud computing;
4. Data science;
5. Software development;
6. Internet of things;
7. Robotic Processing Automation
8. Design thinking
9. Quality engineering Automation and
10. e-Waste
11. Mobile Computing Technician Devices (*(P) means: part qualification)
12. *Mobile Device Repairer (P)
13. *Laptop Repairer (P)
14. *Wearable Repairer(P)
15. *Accessories Repairer (P)
16. Drone Technician
17. Remote Piloting Aircraft (RPAS)
18. Remote Piloting Aircraft (RPAS) Technician
19. Blockchain
20. Optical Fibre
21. Extended Reality
22. Virtual Reality
23. 3D Printing
24. 5G
25. Web Design
26. Cyber Security
27. Technopreneur
28. Python
29. HTML
30. Java
31. Java script
32. C++

MICT QUALIFICATIONS APPROVED BY SAQA:

List of approved full qualifications:

4IR Part Qualifications

4IR Skills Programmes:

4IR Learnerships