Establishing career competencies for the fourth industrial revolution: a qualitative study of expert perspectives in South Africa

Introduction: The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is reshaping work through the convergence of physical, digital and biological domains, yet career psychology lacks empirical research on the competencies required for general workforce success in this context. Existing frameworks are occupation-specific and Western-centric, ill-suited to South Africa's conditions of 31.4% unemployment, skills mismatches and digital literacy shortages. This study aimed to establish career competencies for effective career management in South Africa's 4IR workforce and to elicit expert insights on emerging competency demands. Methods: A qualitative design was employed within a pragmatist, constructivist framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 purposively selected South African experts in career development, competency assessment and organisational transformation, holding postgraduate qualifications and representing six industry sectors with 5 to 25 years of relevant experience. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-step reflective thematic analysis supported by ATLAS.ti (version 23, Windows). Results: Analysis of 6,480 coded references identified six themes across 28 sub-themes: interpersonal skills (23.1%), mindset (18.3%), self-direction and agency (17.4%), change agility (17.3%), technology and data (12.1%) and contextual competencies (11.8%). Discussion: The findings extend the intelligent careers framework to 4IR demands in a developing economy. The prominence of human-centred over technical competencies challenges technology-dominant assumptions. Novel contributions include cognitive load management, boundary-setting and work-life integration as discrete career competencies, contextualised within South Africa's structural constraints. The framework offers actionable guidance for career counsellors, human resource practitioners and policymakers developing 4IR-ready workforces in resource-constrained contexts.