You can’t build a digital government without first building digital talent

It’s time to bridge the skills gap.

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South Africa is facing a youth unemployment crisis, with 63.9% of young people (ages 15-24) jobless (StatsSA, 2023). While many blame a sluggish economy, the real issue runs deeper – a massive mismatch between the skills young people have and those employers need.

A 2023 report by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) reveals that over 50% of South African graduates lack the skills demanded by the job market. Employers consistently report shortages in: 

• Leadership and management (critical for high-level roles) 
• Digital literacy and AI skills (essential for the 4IR economy) 
• Problem-solving and communication (needed at all career levels)

1. Outdated education system

• Many schools and TVET colleges still teach obsolete curricula, leaving students unprepared for modern jobs.
• Only 33% of university graduates qualify in high-demand fields like engineering, while humanities graduates struggle with the highest unemployment rates (DHET, 2023).

2. The 4IR skills shortage

• There are skills that have been identified as scarce skills in the ICT Sector – AI, ML, data science, cloud computing, cyber security, RPA and automation, practical tech application, soft skills, infrastructure and equity, etc. Netcampus focuses on these skills to ensure the beneficiaries are skilled in jobs for the future.
• Renewable energy, AI and green hydrogen are booming – but SA lacks trained technicians and engineers (SAREM, 2023).
• Without urgent reskilling, we risk missing out on the jobs of the future.

3. Employers and educators aren’t aligned

• Only 21% of SETA training programmes match industry needs (DHET, 2023).
• Many graduates know theory but lack workplace-ready skills like teamwork and adaptability.

• Reform education: Schools and universities must prioritise STEM, coding and soft skills (like communication and critical thinking). Legislators need to align more with global technology leaders and OEM through their accredited and certified training providers in the public and private sectors 
• Strengthen TVET colleges: More industry partnerships (eg, apprenticeships with organisations like SITA and Mimecast). 
• Upskill the workforce: Government and businesses must invest in short courses for digital and green economy skills.

"Technical generalists – especially those fluent in programming languages like Python and familiar with cloud platforms such as Azure, are in high demand across AI and infrastructure teams.” (Business Insider, 2024)

At GovTech 2025, we’ll debate cutting-edge systems like the Citizen Super App and blockchain procurement. But none of these matters if we lack skilled professionals to implement them.

• Netcampus is committed to empower learners, making them part of a successful journey to become employed professionals through a learnership programme called the Kagisano Labour Program, in partnership with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). Unlike other skills development service providers that train students and leave them to find employment, Netcampus Group ensures that its learners are placed in employment. The programme is national and thus far, 4 000 learners have been trained through the Kagisano Labour Program, with about 3 000 placed in employment. Netcampus continues to work with various employers to ensure that learners are aligned to employers’ specific workplace needs and skills
• Netcampus, in partnership with Microsoft, has engaged key stakeholders – including the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) leadership and TVET colleges, Bapedi Kingdom, Botshabelo Digital Hub, provincial governments, Limpopo Connexion and Telkom Foundation – to launch an ambitious initiative to empower 100 000 South Africans with AI knowledge and digital fluency. The programme reached over 104 000 individuals and 50 were awarded the globally recognised AI-900 certification. This milestone marks a significant step in driving digital transformation and future-ready skills across South Africa.
• The Cybersecurity Youth Development Program is a strategic initiative by the Gauteng Department of e-Government, in partnership with Netcampus, aimed at equipping unemployed youth in Gauteng with critical cyber security skills. This programme addressed the growing need for cyber resilience in government and the broader digital economy. A total of 9 929 candidates were selected and trained on topics that included cyber security fundamentals, ethical hacking, digital forensics and Microsoft AI. The top 50 students proceeded to receive advanced classroom training in modules such as GRC, pen testing and emerging technologies.
• The Netcampus AI leadership programme has equipped public sector and industry leaders with the strategic understanding required to guide AI adoption, governance and policy development. Over 3 000 delegates have been trained from key partners and customers, namely the National School of Government, Western Cape Provincial Government, Gauteng Provincial Government, Eastern Cape Provincial Government and the National Department of Education.
• Netcampus partnered with Microsoft, SITA and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) to collaborate in enabling paperless government for key government departments. This project has strengthened technical capabilities in SharePoint for content management, Power Platform for low-code solutions, Teams for communication and OneDrive for secure file sharing and collaboration. Over 66 beneficiaries benefited from this skilling initiative within SITA and DCDT, where end-users and functional consultants received key skills and certifications exams.
• Netcampus has embarked on learnership and internship programmes for the disabled youth. The internship and learnership programmes are delivered on behalf of Netcampus’s blue-chip corporate clients. A total of 100 learners from KwaZulu-Natal are enrolled in the internship programme and will be trained on Microsoft Security and Microsoft Azure, while 60 learners from Gauteng will be trained on a learnership programme providing various qualifications.

At GovTech 2025, the Netcampus Group will showcase how South African organisations can move “From Classroom to Cloud: Scaling SA’s Tech Talent Pipeline”. The Netcampus Group will share:

1. For employers: How to sponsor high-impact scholarships (ROI case studies).
2. For government: Skills transfer clauses that work in IT contracts.
3. For tech professionals: Two-hour/month mentorship frameworks.

South Africa’s youth can’t afford to wait. If we don’t act now, the skills gap will keep widening inequality and stunting economic growth. It’s time to bridge the gap, because every young person deserves a fair shot at a decent job.

What do you think? Should skills training be a national priority? Drop your thoughts below.

• Join me at GovTech 2025: www.govtech.gov.za
• Contact Netcampus Group for its highly certified unemployed graduates – kagisano@netcampus.com
• For all other training and certification needs, please contact Netcampus Group on microsoft@netcampus.com/info@netcampus.com

#GovTech2025 #SITA #NetcampusGroup #UnlockYourPotential #SkillsForJobs #YouthEmployment