Bridging the FinTech Skills Gap – How Contracting Offers a Strategic Advantage

By Thashim Seechoonparsad, Acting: General Manager – Professional Talent Solutions at Workforce Staffing

South Africa’s FinTech landscape is booming. As the continental leader accounting for a significant 40% of Africa’s fintech revenue, the sector is primed for exponential growth, projected to reach USD 14.86 billion by 2033. This growth is under threat, however, as the growing skills gap presents a massive risk to the sector’s ability to sustain its current rate of innovation and growth.

The demand for specialist technical skills – app developers, data analysts, cybersecurity professionals and blockchain specialists – has never been higher. Yet, FinTechs and traditional institutions struggle to hold onto these professionals, if they can find them. The rise of remote work, coupled with historical educational disparities and the cutting-edge nature of the technology has created the perfect storm, where skilled individuals are frequently lured away by lucrative offers from international firms and agile start-ups.

The consequences are clear: high turnover rates, unstable teams and soaring recruitment costs. In a sector defined by rapid technological advancements, this instability is a major hindrance to growth and innovation. So how can South Africa’s fintech sector address this critical challenge? The answer lies in embracing a flexible workforce model: contracting. Making use of contracting professionals, facilitated by specialised staffing providers, offers a strategic solution to bridge the skills gap in a way that can drive sustainable growth.

The power of flexibility and tapping into new talent pools on demand
Contracting provides FinTechs and financial institutions with immediate access to specialised talent for project-based work. This agility is essential in a sector where project demands can fluctuate rapidly. Instead of committing to long-term, permanent hires, companies can tap into a pool of vetted, experienced professionals on a need-to-have basis.

This approach offers several clear advantages. Firstly, it allows for workforce agility and scalability. Firms can quickly adapt to changing project requirements and market conditions, scaling their teams up or down as needed. Secondly, it provides cost-effective talent acquisition. By avoiding the overhead of permanent hires, FinTechs can optimise their budgets and mitigate the risks associated with talent retention.

Contracting also opens doors to a diverse pool of talent, as professionals who choose the contracting route often possess a wealth of experience across various projects and industries. This cross-pollination of skills and knowledge must be encouraged, as it can only bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the table, driving growth and efficiency.

The role of specialised staffing providers in winning the talent war
Specialist staffing partners, or Temporary Employment Services (TES) providers, play a vital role in facilitating this process. They maintain extensive databases of vetted professionals, understanding their skill sets and matching them with the specific needs of FinTechs and financial institutions. Most importantly, these providers take on the administrative burden of managing contractors, handling payroll, HR, and IR issues. This allows companies to focus on their core business, whilst ensuring they have access to the right talent at the right time.

In this way, TES providers act as a bridge, facilitating knowledge transfer and continuous learning. Contractors, exposed to diverse environments and technologies, are constantly developing their skills, and this continuous learning benefits both the professionals and the firms they work with, ensuring they stay at the forefront of technological advancements.

Embracing the future by shifting talent acquisition to a strategic investment
The FinTech revolution isn’t slowing down; it’s accelerating. In this hyper-paced environment, agility becomes a survival tactic. Contracting isn’t just a solution; it’s a strategic weapon that equips FinTech and financial institutions not only to bridge the skills gap, but to leapfrog the competition. In embracing this dynamic model, companies gain immediate access to elite talent, assembling high-performance teams with lightning speed. They can achieve workforce agility, adapting to market shifts and project demands. They can optimise budgets, transforming talent acquisition from a cost centre into a strategic investment.

But the true power lies in the talent itself. Contracting opens the door to a reservoir of seasoned professionals, each bringing a wealth of diverse experience and disruptive ideas. They’re not just filling roles; they’re injecting innovation, sparking new possibilities, and driving change that makes an impact. The benefits don’t stop there – contracting empowers professionals, offering them a career path characterised by diverse challenges, continuous learning, and flexibility.

They’re not just employees; they’re architects of their own professional journeys. To really put South African FinTechs on the global map, we’ve got to change how we think about talent. Forget the old ways of hiring. We need to build teams that can move fast and adapt. This is why smart contracting, with the right staffing partners, isn’t just a good idea – it’s essential for the long-term growth that will turn South Africa into a FinTech powerhouse.