Why South Africa needs more Computer Scientists?

Wednesday, 26 October 2022

While the need for computer scientists increases globally, a talent deficit is more evident than ever in South Africa. We share why South Africa needs more Computer Scientists.

Every industry now considers computer science to be an essential component for their business, but while the need for these scientists increases globally, there is a skill gap that is most acute in Africa.

The need for computer science professionals is still great, despite the fact that training programs are springing up all over the continent.

Truly the demand for tech experts in all fields related to Computer Science continues to grow. Fields like artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, speech recognition, neural networks, and natural language processing (NLP) will shape how businesses operate in the future.

The world is taking notice of Africa's production of top-tier computer talent. Devskiller reports that the demand for computer science -especially in data science capabilities- increased by 296% last year, making talent more in demand than ever. The time has come for African talent to take the global stage.

We share in this article why South Africa needs more Computer Scientist.

What is Computer Science?

Computer science is a dynamic and quickly expanding area that has shaped the modern world in which we live today.

In simple terms, the study of computers and computational systems is known as computer science.

Computer scientists, as opposed to electrical and computer engineers, focus primarily on software and software systems, including their theory, design, development, and application.

Even while programming is a requirement for studying computer science, it is simply one aspect of the subject. Computer scientists investigate the performance of computer hardware and software in addition to designing and analyzing methods to solve programs.

The challenges that computer scientists face range from the abstract—determining which issues can be solved by computers and the complexity of the algorithms that do so—to the concrete—creating programs that run smoothly on mobile devices, are user-friendly, and adhere to security protocols.

What does a Computer Scientist Do?

A computer scientist does research on computers and computer systems to evaluate how well they function and find new technological applications.

Computer scientists can create new software and programs that can improve a computer's functioning as well as creative ways for people to use technology using their knowledge of computers and how they work.

On the basis of plausible hypotheses and theoretical assessments, a computer scientist can also do study on future uses of technology for people.

A computer scientist is knowledgeable about the theoretical underpinnings of using computers.

They frequently work differently than computer engineers do with hardware and software. Instead, a computer scientist thinks about how information is handled by technology and then applies that to programs.

This article might interest you: What's a Bachelor of Computer Science salary in South Africa?

Why South Africa needs more Computer Scientists?

The reality is that Africa, home to 1.4 billion people, faces innumerable problems that need to be solved.

Due to the size of these issues, only Africans can identify with them and take the initiative to find solutions.

The other continents are ahead of Africa in terms of resources and readiness to capitalize on this new era as we are well into the fourth industrial revolution.

• A nonprofit organization for the sector and the Information Technology (IT) workforce examined the most recent employment data, and found that tech companies have been hiring professionals for the preceding 10 months, with job postings for computer scientists reaching a new high in May.

• Of the 26.8 million software developers in South Africa, only 121,000 are now employed. When you consider that 38% of African developers work for at least one South African company, it becomes clear why digital competence is difficult to locate for South African organizations.

• Africa needs computer scientists more than any other continent since it is plagued by a variety of industrial bottlenecks and needs them to provide specialized solutions to its problems.

• The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4 IR) revolution is centered on technology, and analysts believe that now is the perfect time for Africa to develop its own expertise to support businesses in making wise judgments, forecasting the market, and preparing for unforeseeable disasters.

This panorama shows a great amount of opportunities for future Computer Scientists with a degree.

Fortunately, more universities are including this certification in their offer.

Earn your Computer Science Degree in South Africa

Your comprehension of theories and cutting-edge technology will be greatly enhanced by having a degree in this area. Your expertise and knowledge will enable you to create innovative solutions to today's problems.

On our website, you may learn more about the top colleges in South Africa that provide a bachelor's degree in computer science, or you can click to learn more about the degrees that some of the top colleges in South Africa offer:

• Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Computer Science and Information Systems by Nelson Mandela University.
• Bachelor of Science Honours in Computer Science by Pearson Institute of Higher Education.
• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Computer and Information Science by Nelson Mandela University.
• Bachelor of Science with Honours in Computer Science by Stellenbosch University.
• Bachelor of Science with Honours in Computer Science by University of Johannesburg.
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science by University of the Witwatersrand

Students can use their other areas of interest, such as biology, business, cyber security, economics, engineering, information assurance, languages and linguistics, mathematics, physics, public policy, etc. when used in an interdisciplinary manner to tackle a larger range of complicated problems.

So there you have it. Computer Scientist is a career that will only continue to grow exponentially and now is the time for South Africans to become a major force of experts in the field.

Explore More Options

Please fill out the registration form if you're interested in learning more about these programs. You can find all the courses that will enable you to acquire a degree in computer science and advance your professional career on our official website, startuniversity.co.za.