The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA).
TIA is an entity of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, with the mandate to invest in and support innovators, entrepreneurs and SMEs to commercialise their technology innovations.
According to a statement, the MOU will see the entities provide collaborative learning programmes aimed at strengthening digital skills and advancing economic growth across SA.
It sets in motion a multi-year strategic partnership, whereby TIA and MICT SETA jointly design and implement targeted digital and fourth industrial revolution (4IR) skills programmes.
The initiatives aim to broaden access to innovation-driven learning, improve employment readiness among youth and strengthen SA’s national system of innovation (NSI), it states.
“The partnership reflects an inclusive approach to skills development, recognising the need for equity and access in the innovation ecosystem,” says Ismail Abdoola, acting CEO of TIA.
“By placing skilled interns within TIA investee companies and NSI partners, we can address the challenges of capacity within our start-ups which need additional personnel to successfully deliver on their projects.
“These placements will also create opportunities for permanent employment of interns within these SMEs. This will enable us to increase the rate of start-up formation in the digital economy space, led by competent founders equipped with the relevant skills.”
“A key feature of the MOU is the development of bursary schemes and the establishment of a research chair for masters and PhD students, dedicated to innovation management within the NSI,” comments MICT SETA CEO Matome Madibana.
“This initiative will strengthen the country’s research capabilities and create a pipeline of highly-skilled graduates ready to contribute to innovation-led growth. By linking education, research and industry, the partnership positions practical training and academic inquiry as key enablers of workforce development and economic advancement.”
The collaboration also focuses on delivering co-funded learning, incubation and innovation programmes tailored to SA’s evolving job market. These aim to equip youth, women and persons living with disabilities with 4IR-aligned skills and opportunities for meaningful participation in the digital economy.
The co-funded incubation programmes will support early-stage innovators through ideation, business development, mentorship and commercialisation. To broaden access, placement opportunities will also be created for unemployed youth, in partnership with all spheres of government.
“This partnership represents a coordinated and action-oriented approach to delivering on South Africa’s innovation and skills development agenda. It aligns with TIA's vision to embed the quadruple helix model of innovation in the NSI, fostering collaboration between industry, government, academia and civil society,” notes TIA board chairperson Loyiso Tyira.
“In this way, we can maximise the benefits of pooling all our resources and capabilities in a manner that accelerates the drive to a digital economy that emphasises transformation and inclusive growth. TIA invites other partners to collaborate with us and strengthen our efforts to address the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.”
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