Following a successful first round in October 2024, Collective X has committed an additional R50 million to invest in digital jobs across South Africa – co-investing with employers to create structured, outcomes-based work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities that connect digital skills training with real employment.
This commitment comes on the heels of new Collective X research revealing the scale of South Africa’s digital skills crunch: an estimated 118,000 ICT roles are currently unfilled, with more than 41,000 of those suited to junior talent.
With over 30,000 different ICT jobs currently advertised, employers are struggling to find work-ready candidates—despite high youth unemployment. The research underscores the urgent need to align digital skilling with actual hiring demand and to fast-track the placement of young people into high-opportunity roles.
“Our model is built on outcomes, not inputs,” said Evan Jones, CEO of Collective X. “We partner with employers to ensure young people gain practical, on-the-job experience that leads to real economic opportunity—not just training for training’s sake.”
Through an outcomes-based financing model, Collective X co-invests with employers to support junior ICT talent in gaining relevant digital skills through work-integrated learning. Financial support is linked to key milestones and demonstrated competencies, ensuring that investment delivers measurable results, both for employers and for young people.
All training is mapped to the internationally recognised Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) to ensure industry relevance. By lowering the cost and risk of hiring junior digital talent, the programme empowers employers to build more inclusive, future-ready teams while opening up real pathways to employment for historically excluded youth.
Employers are encouraged to apply if they:
- Require entry-level ICT talent or can help aggregate digital placements
- Can provide meaningful WIL opportunities with coaching and mentorship
- Are open to co-investing in skills development
- Can place at least 10 young people in structured roles
The application deadline for the current co-payment window is 13 June 2025, with the latest cohort of placements starting by 31 October 2025.
Collective X is a not-for-profit coordinating intermediary driving South Africa’s national digital skills strategy. Through a highly collaborative approach involving both public and private sector partners, the organisation focuses on developing entry-level digital skills to address the country’s critical digital talent shortage.
The organisation’s co-payment programme forms part of its broader commitment to reshaping South Africa’s digital economy through collaboration with forward-thinking employers and ecosystem partners. As the research shows, junior roles like software development, web development, and Microsoft-focused positions offer high-potential entry points—yet too many of these jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of experience and exposure.
“Training alone won’t close the gap,” Jones added. “Work-integrated learning and employer-led solutions are the missing link. That’s why we’re putting this R50 million to work—so we can connect skills to real jobs and help young South Africans thrive in the economy of tomorrow.”
Interested organisations can apply here or email hello@thecollectivex.org for guidance on finalising submissions.
