The influences of and responses to the labour market for chemical engineering skills in the South African pulp and paper industry

Abstract

Modern day chemical engineers are largely responsible for the design, improvement and maintenance of processes that transform raw materials to products in an economical and sustainable manner. These individuals are highly paid and, due to the diversity of the field, the demand for individuals with the right level of training and experience is high. Despite the high demand and the attractiveness associated with an illustrious career however, the pulp and paper industry experiences a 15 to 20% labour turnover rate. This research sets out to explore the influences of, and the responses to, the labour market for chemical engineering skills in the South African pulp and paper industry. An understanding of the labour markets would afford stakeholders the opportunity to curb the high turnover rates and allow for the ability to respond to changes in the labour market. The research adopted a qualitative study which involved in-depth interviews with the stakeholders of the pulp and paper industry. A total of 18 stakeholders were interviewed. Due to distance and logistical constraints, some interviews were conducted telephonically. A semi structured interview guide line was used. Fine grained content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to extract key constructs from the data analysis obtained during the interview process. The outcome of the research has resulted in a better understanding of the labour markets for chemical engineers in the industry. The findings provide key insights to factors that stakeholders consider as crucial in enhancing the effective use and retention of chemical engineers in the pulp and paper industry. Copyright