HIGH DEMAND SKILLS: HOW TO MATCH YOUR DEGREE TO TOP NEW ICT COMPETENCIES

Choosing your qualification is one of the most critical decisions prospective students will ever make. This decision is informed by understanding current and future skills which are in high demand, by keeping a close watch on developments in the market, as well as gaining insights into emerging research.

However, even after identifying which skills are in high demand and are likely to remain so, the skills will rarely, if ever, match degree names directly, making it essential to interrogate degree offerings to ensure they align with these sought-after competencies.

Global career development platform Coursera recently released their Job Skills Report 2025, revealing the fastest-growing skills in data science by region. The report provided a comprehensive view of skill rankings and trends across enterprise learners, job seekers, employees, and students worldwide.
 
For sub-Saharan Africa, the most in demand skills were found to be: Data Ethics, Data Strategy, Data Transformation, Data Wrangling and Graphing.

But prospective students seeking to pursue these skills won’t conveniently find a Bachelor Degree specifically referring to any of the above in many instances.

Instead, they need to do their homework to match these specific fields to the offering at higher education institutions whose curricula are up-to-date and closely aligned with industry demands, an expert says.

Lufungula Osembe, Deputy Dean: Faculty of Information and Communication Technology at The Independent Institute of Education’s Rosebank College, says these in-demand tech skills are rarely offered as standalone degrees or diplomas. Instead, they are embedded within a broader spectrum of qualifications with specialisation in areas such as Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Data Analytics, Software Development, Application Development, or Computer Science.

So, when searching for qualifications containing modules related to these skills, look for the following:

• Data Ethics - Look for modules on data governance, cybersecurity law, compliance, or ethical data practices, which cover responsible data handling and privacy in line with local regulations.
• Data Strategy - Seek modules on strategic data management, enterprise analytics, or data-driven decision-making, which focus on planning and managing data for organisational goals.
• Data Transformation - Look for modules on database management, data pre-processing, or ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, which involve converting data into usable formats.
• Data Wrangling - Seek modules on data preprocessing, programming, or data manipulation techniques.
• Graphing - Check for modules on data visualisation, statistical analysis, or business intelligence tools, which teach skills for creating charts and graphs.

“To align studies with these in-demand skills, prospective students must thoroughly interrogate programme curricula,” Osembe says.

“Course descriptions, module outlines, and learning outcomes should explicitly mention or imply coverage of modules like Data Governance, Data Visualisation, Data Science, Data Analytics, Advanced Databases, Cybersecurity, Information Security, IT Risk Management, Business Intelligence or Business Data Modelling .

“Consulting with student advisors and/or programme coordinators is crucial, as they can clarify how a qualification’s content maps to these in-demand skills to enhance employability,” he says.

Osembe says it is also crucial to interrogate curriculum relevance to industry requirements, as well as student support to acquire these in-demand skills and be successful in securing employment.

“When choosing a degree and institution, it is important to ensure that the curriculum is industry-aligned and up-to-date to adequately prepare students for successful careers. Industry-aligned curricula are developed in partnership with professionals and employers to incorporate the skills, knowledge, and technologies currently sought after in the job market.”

Prospective students should inquire about the industry alignment of curricula to avoid pursuing outdated qualifications that do not offer industry-relevant skills and competencies.

“Prioritising institutions with curricula shaped by industry needs can enhance students' employability and readiness to address current challenges in their chosen fields. This ensures they are not studying outdated concepts or technologies.”

Beyond curriculum quality, the level of student support provided by a higher education institution significantly influences successful outcomes, Osembe says.

“Comprehensive support systems, such as academic advisors, tutoring, mental health resources, and career services, help students navigate challenges and stay on track to graduate. Strong support systems create an environment where students can thrive academically and professionally.

“We therefore recommend that prospective students choose an institution that offers a combination of industry-aligned curricula and strong student support to promote comprehensive development. This will help graduates acquire the necessary skills and resilience for success.”