Collective X has announced that applications for its co-funded digital skills initiative will open on Thursday (19 September 2024).
With R50-million available to invest in co-funding digital skills programmes, this initiative will help employers shape the future of South Africa’s digital workforce.
South Africa faces a critical digital skills shortage, with an estimated 40 000 entry-level digital jobs needed annually – but only 20 000 skilled individuals enter the workforce each year.
By aligning quality entry-level skills with business needs, Collective X aims to close this gap and empower businesses to remain competitive while creating sustainable employment opportunities for South Africa’s youth.
Collective X, a not-for-profit organisation, serves as a coordinating intermediary that drives a single national digital skills strategy to address current market failures to unlock demand-driven, scalable solutions aimed at solving South Africa’s digital skills crisis.
Mteto Nyati, chairman of the Collective X board, comments: “Collective X’s co-funded digital skills initiative is a game-changer for both businesses and youth in South Africa. By collaborating with employers, we can ensure the right digital skills training, for the right price, to impact their future in the right way. Our mission is simple: to expand South Africa’s pool of skilled digital workers, and create meaningful jobs.”
The co-funded model provides a financially viable solution for employers to develop a skilled digital workforce at reduced costs. This employer-led initiative puts businesses at the forefront of shaping the digital talent pipeline to meet their specific needs.
With national reach, employers across South Africa can participate, ensuring equitable access to this transformative opportunity. The initiative covers all entry-level ICT professional roles, offering businesses flexibility in developing the skills that best suit their operations.
A key component of the initiative is its alignment with the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). This ensures that beneficiaries of the programme achieve a minimum SFIA level 3 competency, providing employers with a talent pool that meets global standards. The SFIA framework is flexible and adaptabke, ensuring that the digital skills developed through this initiative are relevant to industry demands and continuously updated to meet the evolving needs of the digital economy.
Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is another critical feature of the programme, embedding practical, hands-on experience into the learning journey. By incorporating WIL, young South Africans will have the opportunity to apply their digital skills in real-world settings, ensuring they are fully prepared to contribute to the workforce from day one. This practical exposure helps bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, making graduates work-ready and valuable to businesses.
Employers and media interested in learning more about this co-funded initiative can visit www.thecollectivex.org and are invited to attend a webinar on 19 September 2024, hosted by Mteto Nyati and senior leadership from Collective X.