An information technology (IT) recruitment company on Monday said reports of a ”brain drain” of professionals out of the country often ignored the numbers returning to South Africa, often with enhanced skills.
The reports said more than 7 400 South African graduates and professionals left for pastures greener during the first half of the year — apparently exacerbating the country’s brain drain.
”It is true to say that a lot of people are leaving the country to live and work in various countries overseas,” said Org Geldenhuys, a director at a Pretoria-based IT recruitment company.
”But we are also noticing that a lot of people are coming back as well and are bringing enhanced skills back with them. We can, of course, only talk about the IT industry as this is our field. But during the last 12 months we have assisted a growing number of IT workers to find employment in South Africa,” Geldenhuys said.
He added that many went overseas with the intention of making it their new home but realised that the grass was not really that greener.
”We have worked, for instance, with a number of people with SAP software skills who have gone overseas and have gained greater experience in the SAP field and are now returning. This is a boon to the local IT market,” Geldenhuys said.
”Interestingly enough, one of the factors cited by those returning is that they miss the South African weather. There are other factors, of course, including the fact that the economies of other countries, and the opportunities, are not as rosy as originally anticipated.
”In addition, other countries have their own problems, including political and social turmoil. But, whatever the statistics are, we are seeing a steady stream –especially lately — of South Africans returning to local soil,” Geldenhuys said. – Sapa