South Africa’s persistent shortage of digital skills is intensifying scrutiny of how effectively education and training pathways translate into workplace readiness, as employers and policymakers increasingly prioritise employability outcomes over enrolment alone.
According to online education provider HyperionDev, government initiatives like the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy are being complemented by growing calls from industry bodies and ICT councils for a shift beyond formal qualifications towards demonstrable, work-ready competence.
While online learning has expanded rapidly, concerns around job readiness, onboarding time and applied skills are playing a larger role in employer decision-making, particularly for high-demand technical roles.
HyperionDev says mentor-supported learning models are gaining traction for their ability to bridge the gap between theoretical instruction and practical workplace performance. These models focus on aligning training pathways with employer needs, using structured progression, continuous human feedback and ongoing assessment to support learners. The approach is designed to assist both new entrants and career switchers navigating SA’s competitive technology job market.
“South Africa doesn’t have an ambition problem when it comes to tech talent; it has an outcomes problem,” says Riaz Moola, CEO of HyperionDev. “Learners and employers need clarity on what actually works, particularly in a market where education decisions carry real financial and opportunity costs.”
The organisation plans to deepen engagement with employers to ensure training remains aligned to evolving skills demand. This includes strengthening feedback loops between hiring managers and educators, refining benchmarks for job readiness and contributing practical insight to national discussions on workforce preparedness. “Mentorship is not a ‘nice to have’ in technical education; it’s a performance lever,” Moola adds.
Employers across the technology and digital services sectors are also exploring alternatives to traditional graduate pipelines, particularly for roles requiring faster time to productivity. Organisations using mentor-supported pathways report stronger baseline capability and quicker contribution on the job, outcomes that are increasingly prioritised in a constrained hiring environment.
People component in infrastructure building
At the same time, digital skills development is being treated as a core component of infrastructure planning, according to Huawei South Africa.
As governments accelerate digital transformation, infrastructure planning is expanding beyond connectivity to include the skills pipelines required to use technology effectively and securely at scale.
Huawei notes that organisations may have networks and platforms in place but still struggle to operate if the talent pipeline is insufficient. The pressure is most evident in roles such as cyber security, cloud operations, software development, data and analytics, and systems engineering.
“Digital infrastructure delivers its full value only when it is matched with human capacity,” says Charles Cheng, deputy CEO of Huawei South Africa, adding that countries that build both physical and human networks together will be best positioned for inclusive and sustainable digital growth.
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