As South Africa’s digital economy continues to evolve, the demand for work-ready ICT talent remains a critical challenge. Strategic collaboration between academia and industry is increasingly seen as the most effective way to bridge this gap – a model being actively advanced by Projectized Management in partnership with Durban University of Technology (DUT).
At a recent stakeholder recognition event hosted by DUT’s Cooperative Education Unit at the Coastlands Hotel, on 11 April 2025, industry partners were acknowledged for their role in enabling experiential learning and improving graduate employability. Among them, Projectized Management stood out for its structured, outcomes-driven approach to skills development within the ICT sector, being awarded with a DUT Co-operative Education Host Employer Award.
Through DUT’s co-operative education framework supported by SETA funding and industry collaboration, students are placed in real working environments to gain practical experience. However, the effectiveness of this model depends largely on the quality of industry participation.
Projectized Management has positioned itself as more than a host employer, integrating students into active delivery environments across IT consulting, project management, marketing, HR, finance, graphic design, videography and custom software development. This exposure enables learners to develop both technical competencies and an understanding of business processes, ensuring alignment with current industry demands.
Speaking at the event, Managing Director Nokuthula “Nokky” Ndlovu emphasised the need for deeper industry involvement in shaping South Africa’s future workforce.
“Bridging the gap between education and employment requires intentional collaboration. It is not enough to provide access, we must ensure that young professionals are equipped to contribute meaningfully to high-performance environments,” she noted.
Ndlovu added that organisations have a responsibility to move beyond compliance-based training models and actively participate in building sustainable talent pipelines. Under her leadership, Projectized Management has focused on creating pathways that transition learners from training into full-time employment, contributing to both skills retention and business continuity.
This approach aligns with broader industry concerns around the shortage of experienced ICT professionals in South Africa. By embedding learners into live projects and exposing them to real client environments, companies can accelerate skills development while simultaneously addressing capacity constraints.
Keynote speaker Dr Themba Msukwini, Director of DUT Co-operative Education, reinforced the importance of partnerships that extend beyond traditional academic outcomes. He highlighted that institutions and industry must work together to ensure that graduates are not only qualified, but adaptable and capable of operating in dynamic work environments.
DUT’s Cooperative Education model continues to demonstrate the value of integrating academic learning with practical application. For industry partners like Projectized Management, the collaboration presents an opportunity to shape talent at source while contributing to national development priorities.
As youth unemployment remains a pressing concern, scalable, industry-led initiatives that prioritise experience and employment outcomes are becoming increasingly important. The partnership between DUT and Projectized Management offers a practical example of how the ICT sector can play a leading role in building a future-ready workforce.
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