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Collective X opens applications for digital skills initiative

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 17 Sep 2024
Mteto Nyati, chairman of Collective X’s board.
Mteto Nyati, chairman of Collective X’s board.

Collective X, a not-for-profit organisation with a focus on addressing South Africa’s digital skills crisis, has opened applications for local businesses to apply to have their employees trained in digital skills.

According to a statement, the skills development initiative is based on a co-funded model that provides a financially-viable training solution to help employers develop a skilled digital workforce at reduced costs.

It puts businesses at the forefront of shaping the digital talent pipeline, to meet the specific skills needs of local organisations.

The initiative, co-funded by world-recognised donor partners across sectors, covers entry-level ICT professional roles, offering businesses flexibility in developing the skills that best suit their operations.

The R50 million fund is administered by Bonds4Jobs, claimed to be one of South Africa’s first and most scaled outcomes funds.

Collective X says it has set a target to develop 10 000 young people into work-ready digital professionals over the next three years, and to double SA’s national output of digital skills by 2030.

Mteto Nyati, chairman of Collective X’s 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 SA’s pool of skilled digital workers and create meaningful jobs.”

Collective X says it serves as a co-ordinating intermediary that drives a single national digital skills strategy to address current market failures to unlock demand-driven, scalable solutions aimed at solving SA’s digital skills crisis.

A key component of the initiative is its alignment with the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). This ensures programme beneficiaries achieve a minimum SFIA level three competency, providing employers with a talent pool that meets global standards.

The SFIA framework is known for its flexibility and adaptability, ensuring the digital skills developed through this initiative are relevant to industry demands and continuously updated to meet the evolving needs of the digital economy, notes the organisation.

According to Collective X, SA faces a critical digital skills shortage, with an estimated 40 000 entry-level digital jobs needed annually, yet 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 the country’s youth.

Employers interested in learning more about how to apply for this co-funded initiative can visit the Collective X website.

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