Top 10 fastest-growing jobs in South Africa
Updated | By Jacaranda FM
If you’re wondering what to do next, this might be for you…

South Africa's unemployment rate is among the highest in the world, with millions of South Africans struggling daily to find jobs and make ends meet.
According to Trading Economics, the country's unemployment rate rose to 32.9% in Q1 2025.
That being said, there are still some professions in South Africa that are seeing growth.
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The country’s overall job market is currently experiencing a cooling-down period, meaning that job vacancies are dropping.
According to the CareerJunction Employment Insights Report for Q2 2025, job vacancies have dropped by 4.2% year-on-year and 11.1% over the past two years.
This means that overall, there are fewer job vacancies available.
However, the report also showed that despite this, certain roles are actually experiencing a spike.
Long-term hiring trends from 2021 to 2025 indicate that some jobs are growing rapidly, offering a positive outlook for those in specific professions.
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The South African report highlighted that the jobs seeing growth span both traditional industries and technology-driven sectors.
These roles reflect South Africa’s mixed economy, but also indicate that skilled professionals remain in short supply.
Here are the top 10 fastest-growing jobs in South Africa:
- Civil/Structural Engineer: +232% (Demand growth since 2021)
- Mechanical Engineer: +142%
- Payroll & Wage Officer: +78%
- Tool & Die Maker: +78%
- Graphic Designer: +63%
- Electrical/Electronic Equipment Technician: +57%
- Tax Specialist: +33%
- Business Developer: +23%
- Senior Manager: +23%
- Executive Manager/Director: +14%
More here:
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