Introduction

At SUGSA, our goal is to foster a vibrant community of individuals who share a passion for exchanging knowledge, exploring new ideas, embracing growth, and supporting one another. Through this survey, we aspire to gather valuable insights that will enrich the career paths of everyone in our community.

Thank You

SUGSA extends its heartfelt gratitude to all members of our community for their participation and contributions, which have enabled us to gather and share valuable information.

Please note: If you’re accessing this from a smartphone, it may be best viewed in landscape mode.

Who are our respondents?

A total of 145 people responded to the survey. More than half of these respondents (69.6%) are female and a third (30.3%) are male. Our respondents come from a diverse ethnicity and age groups across south africa which can be viewed in the below graphs.

Where do our respondents work?

A total of 145 people responded to the survey. More than half of these respondents (61.3%) work in the Western Cape and just over a third (35.1%) in Gauteng, with a small number working in KwaZulu Natal (KZN), Limpopo or multiple locations. Interestingly, less than 1% of the respondents do some or all of their work outside South Africa. 

What is the role distribution by region?

The graph below shows the percentage breakdown per role in specific regions. 

Is there a pattern between earnings and location?

Is there a relationship between remuneration and Agile Experience?

Is there a relationship between remuneration and Total or IT experience?

What did our respondents do prior to their Agile roles?

Is remuneration dependent on our respondents’ employment type?

How do we spend time learning?

Learning Time

It seems that a significant portion of our respondents prioritize learning, with 46.2% indicating they do so often. Others mentioned learning sometimes (34.5%), on a daily basis (15.2%), and rarely (4.1%).

Training Funding

For this sections, respondents were permitted to select multiple options, so the figures presented represent the number of respondents rather than percentages. 

Among the 145 participants, a considerable portion (16.6%) take sole responsibility for financing their own learning endeavours, while approximately 21.4% do so through work-back agreements. Interestingly, about 39.4% reported that their employer fully covers the costs of their learning, although some also mentioned being subject to work-back agreements. Additionally, it’s noteworthy that 20.7% have direct access to mentors, while 9% are automatically matched with mentors.

How do we grow and share knowledge?

The preferred methods for growth and knowledge-sharing include attending Meetups/Events (62.5%) and training courses (61.8%). Additionally, attending local conferences (50.7%), discussions with friends and colleagues (73.6%), reading relevant articles (74.3%), and speaking at or facilitating events (20.8%) are also highly valued. Furthermore, between twelve to twenty percent of respondents engage in sharing their knowledge and experiences through activities like attending coaching retreats or giving talks at local events.

Conclusion

In South Africa, earnings are somewhat correlated with role or experience but are more significantly influenced by factors such as previous earnings, employers’ budgets, and individual negotiation skills. 

Most people in current Agile roles have backgrounds in IT, technical fields, project management, or business management. Notably, there is a small increase in the number of individuals from non-IT roles entering the Agile space. 

There is definitely a robust culture of learning and sharing among Agilists, with employers generally supportive of allocating time for these activities, although financial support is less common.