• South Africa, Microsoft sign AI and digital skills training deal
• Program targets TVET colleges, includes courses and mentorship
• Aims to tackle tech skills gap, boost youth employability

South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mimmy Gondwe, announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital skills development between the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Microsoft South Africa.

The agreement, signed on Tuesday, October 7, at Microsoft’s Johannesburg headquarters, marks a new step in the government’s plan to align education with labor-market needs.

“Digital and AI skills are essential for navigating the modern world and securing future employment opportunities," Gondwe stated. "It is crucial that our students are prepared for the job market once they exit our sector and have the right skills for employability including self-employment and entrepreneurship."

Key Partnership Initiatives

The three-year MOU focuses on several core areas. It calls for the integration of the Microsoft AI Engineer program into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, with one-year hybrid courses, mentorship, and teaching support provided by Microsoft and its industry partners.

The agreement also includes AI leadership training for TVET college principals and senior ministry officials. The partnership will leverage the Education Transformation Framework (ETF) to strengthen governance, policy, and learning quality. In addition, a national digital-literacy program will be launched to build foundational digital skills among students.

Addressing the Skills Gap

The collaboration comes as South Africa works to address a critical technology-skills shortage. The country faces persistent gaps in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and cybersecurity, according to the ICT Skills Survey 2024 published by the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA). The report notes that demand for digital skills is far outstripping the capacity of institutions to train qualified graduates, limiting private-sector competitiveness and job prospects for young professionals.

The partnership between the DHET and Microsoft is expected to modernize curricula, drive the education system’s digital transition, and foster local innovation. By equipping students with skills relevant to the digital economy, the project aims to enhance the employability of young South Africans, with youth unemployment exceeding 45%, according to the latest data from Statistics South Africa.

Samira Njoya