About us
We are the driving force behind a national digital skills transformation.
The Collective X is a not-for-profit organisation that has cultivated an expansive and well-coordinated ecosystem, dedicated to fostering collaboration, concentrated efforts, and targeted solutions to amplify digital skills throughout South Africa. Our success lies in our professional team’s ability to mobilise diverse organisations, spanning from micro to large enterprises, encompassing training providers, employers, and major technology vendors.
A cornerstone of our impact is the longstanding and collaborative partnership we’ve forged with the South African government. Our active involvement in shaping the national digital skills strategy and influencing policy decisions underscores our commitment to making a meaningful difference.
Our strategic focus on skills development and demand ensures the creation of a sustainable and credible digital skills pipeline. We take a business-led approach, putting demand at the forefront of skills development, aligning our efforts with the evolving needs of the industry.
Our board ensures that our strategic objectives are aligned with the needs of South African businesses and the economy.
We’re fostering impactful outcomes by
uniting partners for digital skills
development.
Join us in shaping the future
of digital skills in South Africa.
South Africa’s digital skills crisis
Responding to the crisis
Recognising the situation’s urgency, the SiMODiSA Association launched the TechXit initiative in 2021. Its mission was clear—to address the widening digital skills gap and devise a ten-year action plan for reconstructing South Africa’s digital skills pipeline. TechXit engaged with over 100 local stakeholders to chart the path forward.
Simultaneously, the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator partnered with the Presidency of South Africa, the Public Private Growth Initiative (PPGI), Digital Council Africa (DCA), and Business Process Enabling South Africa (BPESA) to launch the Digital Work Accelerator. This public-private initiative aimed to create inclusive job opportunities within the digital technology sectors, aligning with the national Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI).
TechXit and the Digital Work Accelerator recognised that addressing South Africa’s digital skills gap required concerted efforts, resources, and a unified approach, which is why, in 2023, these two initiatives merged to form The Collective X.