South Africa's digital skills programme seeks $152 million to train 20,000 youths

At CollectiveXChange 2026, a national summit in Johannesburg, Yellowwoods executive director Nicola Galombik announced that expanding the digital‑skills programme could need R2.5 billion ($152 million) from existing skills funds. The Collective X, which coordinates South Africa’s National Digital Skills Plan, says that amount could help an extra 20,000 young people gain digital skills and secure jobs by 2028. The initiative has already mobilised 600 organisations, raised a R600 million ($36.4 million) Digital Skills Impact Fund, and reached 4,000 beneficiaries across all nine provinces. 95 % of participants who finish the work‑based learning programmes move into employment, Galombik said.

How the training model works

The core of the programme is an outcomes‑based model that pairs employer contributions with government skills funding. Employers provide workplace‑integrated learning while public money subsidises wages and training preparation, creating a partnership that matches skills with what businesses need. The model has been tested with employers and is ready to grow, Galombik said, and Rudi Dicks of the Presidency’s Project Management Office added that simplifying the application process could bring more small businesses into the programme.

AI is accelerating the skills gap, according to TechCabal’s June report, and the Collective X is looking to keep training continuous as technology evolves. Phuthi Mahanyele‑Dabengwa, a new board member, said young people must view education as an ongoing process, while chief executive Evan Jones highlighted three priorities for scale: aligned policy, multi‑year financing that blends public and private money, and the ability for employers to respond quickly to changing needs. All of the initiative’s success depends on shared responsibility and accountability.