By Eamonn Ryan
As South Africa grapples with skills shortages in the built environment, the conversation around career paths is shifting – and the HVAC&R sector sits squarely at the centre of it.
Graduation in high school and university concept, space for text. Atlascompany | Freepik.com
Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration depend heavily on practical, technically skilled trades such as electricians, refrigeration technicians and mechanical specialists. These are not only essential for maintaining energy efficiency, indoor air quality and cold chain integrity, but are also increasingly attractive career options in a market demanding hands-on expertise. New research now suggests that many graduates may be recognising this too late – with a significant number wishing they had pursued trade-based careers aligned with sectors like HVAC&R.
The degree versus technical trade debate is not a new one, but recent research has shed light on just how many degree holders wish they’d taken a different vocational path. A global study conducted by MoneySuperMarket has found that 69% of South Africa’s graduates would swap their degree for a trade role.
The career most degree holders would choose if they could swap qualifications was electrician, at 29%, followed by mechanic, at 15%. Electricians topped the global list of most desired trades, with 19% preferring that career, followed by painter and decorator (12%), mechanic (8%), carpenter/joiner (7%) and heating engineer (6%). A total of 3 600 graduates, undergraduates and doctoral holders were surveyed across 14 countries.
South Africans emerged as the most likely to swap their degree for a trade, at 69%, followed by New Zealand (67%), Mexico (62%), France (58%) and Spain (55%). The nation whose graduates are least likely to make the swap is Canada, at 42%, followed by Italy (44%) and the UK (45%).
Among the South African respondents, those working in IT and technology were most likely to want to swap their degrees for trade qualifications.
The biggest reason South African degree holders gave for wanting to retrain was for greater autonomy, with 51% stating that being ‘their own boss’ was a primary motivation. This was followed by the ability to do practical hands-on work (38%) and the potential to earn more money (38%).
Being able to choose where they work (28%), better work-life balance (27%) and job security (26%) were also seen as significant motivating factors, while 16% also said they’d prefer a job that didn’t require them to sit in front of a desk all day. Less screen time was a motivating factor for 12% of respondents.
Reference:
- IOL
- Atlascompany | Freepik.com
