Sixty-four digitally-trained graduates have been placed into long-term employment roles across 11 government departments.
This, as part of Microsoft South Africa’s equity equivalent investment programme (EEIP), says the software giant.
EEIPs were created for multinationals whose global practices or policies prevent them from complying with the ownership element of broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) through the traditional sale of equity or shares to black South Africans.
Technology companies that cannot easily sell local shares are enabled to invest in local SMMEs, fund digital skills training, build infrastructure, or support black-owned suppliers. Companies like Microsoft and several companies in the automotive industry have made EEIP commitments.
In a statement, Microsoft says the placement programme aims to address a long-standing shortage of practical digital skills within government departments.
The graduates, each with a minimum NQF Level 7 qualification, are tasked with automating processes, digitising workflows and helping the departments move closer to a paperless, more efficient operating model.
They are employed for three years, with Microsoft fully funding their salaries and continued professional development through to June 2028.
Lerato Mathabatha, public sector director at Microsoft South Africa, comments: “Government is under increasing pressure to deliver services that are more accessible, predictive and responsive to citizens’ needs.
“Cloud and artificial intelligence technologies are already helping departments reimagine service delivery, but sustainable transformation is enabled and scaled through public-private partnerships, where these platforms are paired with skilled people inside government who can build, adapt and scale solutions.”
Since being onboarded, the graduates have been embedded in departmental teams, working directly on live automation and digital transformation programmes.
Before placement, each participant completed a Microsoft expert technical certification in Power Platform course, equipping them with low-code and no-code capabilities to build solutions that reduce administrative bottlenecks, improve data visibility and modernise service delivery.
Microsoft says the programme also looks to address South Africa’s employment challenge.
Lebogang Luvuno, B-BBEE executive at Microsoft South Africa, explains: “Sustainable digital transformation depends on more than skills development in isolation. It requires meaningful employment pathways that connect training to real operational environments.
“Through the EEIP, we are creating jobs, enabling immediate contribution to government modernisation, and building a pipeline of digital professionals who can grow long-term careers in public service.”
Share
