Octotel is scaling up its youth learnership model — turning a successful pilot into a long-term talent pipeline that feeds South Africa’s digital economy and builds real jobs in the country’s growing fibre sector.
By BizCommunity
Octotel’s learnership programme is moving from a promising pilot to a full-scale, long-term strategy — proving that corporate-driven training can help close South Africa’s digital skills gap while creating jobs that last.
After two successful intakes, the Western Cape fibre network operator is expanding its accredited learnership model in partnership with MICT SETA. The programme combines classroom learning with paid workplace experience, giving participants recognised qualifications and a direct line into the ICT job market
“True business success goes hand in hand with social responsibility,” says Shehaam Chilwan, Octotel’s HR manager. “By growing talent internally and investing in mentorship, we’re helping to professionalise the sector and improve job readiness.”
The approach is simple but effective: learners work on real fibre projects, shadow industry professionals, and gain exposure to the operational side of network management. Beyond technical skills, they’re trained in teamwork, digital literacy, and professional conduct — the soft skills employers consistently say are missing from entry-level recruits.
The results speak for themselves. Graduates from the first intake have already moved into full-time roles at Octotel and other tech firms. The second cohort has completed training with stronger technical and interpersonal capabilities, validating the model’s repeatability and impact.
MICT SETA regional adviser Nambita Kasi-Ndzuza highlights why it works: “Octotel’s learnerships are industry-aligned and mentorship-driven. That’s why their learners transition smoothly into employment.”
Now, Octotel’s focus is scale. Plans include certifying in-house trainers, expanding into new specialist streams for field and technical staff, and onboarding larger intakes annually. By institutionalising training within operations, the company aims to embed a self-sustaining skills pipeline — reducing unemployment while future-proofing its workforce.
The message to other employers is direct: targeted learnerships are not CSR projects — they’re strategic workforce investments. In a country where youth unemployment still exceeds 40%, Octotel’s model shows how training aligned to market demand can shift outcomes from potential to productivity.
