Cape Town-based redAcademy has partnered with Flash Group, a South African fintech, in a bid to tackle the shortage of experienced senior technology professionals.
The collaboration will see redAcademy working closely with Flash Group to help the company develop the skills it needs without putting additional pressure on its existing teams.
The companies said Flash Group will tap into redAcademy’s skills integration as a service (SIaaS) model to rapidly develop junior talent into industry-ready contributors.
Flash Group, which operates a large and fast-growing tech division, has struggled to secure seasoned professionals in a highly competitive market. According to Melissa Stemmers, learning and development manager at Flash Group, a recent internal analysis revealed a significant mismatch between available talent and the senior-level expertise the business needs.
“There is a large pool of junior candidates out there, but a very real shortage of people with more experience,” said Stemmers. “We needed people who could hit the ground running, but we just couldn’t find them.”
Faced with a limited senior talent pipeline and rising recruitment competition, Flash Group opted to rethink its approach. Instead of searching for scarce candidates, the business chose to develop them.
“We revisited this pool of junior talent and looked for a way to upskill them quickly so they can add value from day one,” Stemmers explained.
redAcademy’s SIaaS model emerged as the ideal solution, according to Flash Group. The programme provides junior technologists with immersive, client-specific training – allowing companies like Flash Group to access job-ready talent without redirecting internal teams to manage onboarding or mentorship. Trainees work directly on live, business-critical projects, gaining practical experience while delivering real output before even joining.
Jessica Hawkey, MD of redAcademy, highlighted the need for tech candidates who not only possess the right skills, but also fit seamlessly into the company culture.
According to Hawkey, redAcademy is currently in the discovery phase with Flash Group. It is working on everything from recruiting candidates to customising the course curriculum ahead of the project’s official launch in January 2026.
“Flash Group wants to invest locally – in the local market and in local talent – which is exactly what we want to do as well,” said Hawkey. “This project is such a good fit for both of us because we're closely aligned in our missions, which is not only to support the community with the solutions we offer, but also to recruit from that community and then offer young people the opportunity to build a real career path.”
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