WeThinkCode_, South Africa’s leading software engineering academy, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Collective X, a national coordinating intermediary committed to unlocking scalable, demand-driven digital skills development. This collaboration marks a pivotal step in building a more inclusive, outcomes-based tech talent pipeline for South African youth.
The partnership is anchored in a shared commitment to digital ecosystem building, bringing together government, industry, and training providers to co-pay and co-design pathways that align with real employer demand. As a partner, Collective X’s financial support enables WeThinkCode_ to expand access to work-integrated learning opportunities and long-term employment, ensuring that graduates are not only technically equipped but economically empowered.
“This partnership reflects our belief that systemic change requires systemic collaboration,” said Ruvimbo Gwatirisa, Director of Partnerships at WeThinkCode_. “Collective X’s approach to convening stakeholders and co-paying for innovative solutions that create real long-term work opportunities is exactly what South Africa needs to unlock the full potential of its youth.”
The announcement follows Collective X’s recent Decoding Demand event in Cape Town, where they launched the report “AI Isn’t Taking Jobs, It’s Changing Them: What This Means for Young Tech Talent”. The report highlights a staggering 118,000 unfilled ICT roles in South Africa, 41,000 of which are suited to junior talent. It underscores the urgent need for coordinated action to bridge the digital skills divide.
“WeThinkCode_ has been a recipient of two of our co-payment programmes, reflecting our mandate to provide innovative outcomes-based financing solutions that invest in high-value talent with a clear employment pathway. Sixty five students are currently on a path-to-employment though appropriate in-demand digital skills training that is supported by practical real-world work experience, over a two year period,” said Nsika Mutasa, Executive for the Digital Skills Impact Fund at Collective X. “WeThinkCode_ has long been a leader in cultivating high-potential tech talent, and we’re pleased to be able to support their mission as part of a broader national strategy to ensure young people are not only trained, but meaningfully employed.”
Together, WeThinkCode_ and Collective X are not just addressing a skills gap – they’re reshaping the architecture of opportunity. By aligning training with real-world demand and fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration, this partnership signals a new era of inclusive innovation. It’s a call to action for South Africa’s tech ecosystem to move beyond isolated interventions and toward a shared vision: one where every young person with potential has a pathway to purpose, and every employer has access to the talent that drives transformation.
