mLab develops the talent that will power South Africa.
South Africa is raising the alarm about the digital skills gap. The urgency of digital talent is clear. The demand is real.
At mLab, this is not a new conversation; This is the mission we pursue every day. Through our digital skills programmes, we are equipping youth with capabilities in emerging technologies that are shaping the new world of work.
So rather than asking where this talent will come from, perhaps a better question is: how do we bring this talent forward?
Keep reading to see how mLab is responding.
Nicky Kurbanli, CEO.
“The digital skills shortage in South Africa demands decisive action. In response, mLab has expanded its digital skills offering to address different target audiences. These programs include;
- CodeTribe Academy – For aspiring software developers and software engineers – Web, Android, and iOS.
- Grow Up – Cloud Administrator training with specializations that meet the demand for skills within SMMEs – Microsoft Azure, Salesforce, Zoho, AI Prompting, Digital Marketing and Cyber Security.
- Data Annotation – Data labeling text, images, video, and audio for AI model training.
- Introduction to the Internet of Things – A short course culminating in the development of an IoT prototype.
“We are being intentional about the capabilities we are equipping youth with. Our programs don't just teach – they bridge the gap, moving youth from learning to earning, empowering small enterprises with digitization capacity to enable growth, and unlocking real opportunities for impact,” says. Nicky Kurbanli, CEO.
Taking this commitment forward, we launched the first STEP UP program in February 2025 in collaboration with Edunova under the Collective X industry initiative. Despite being able to engage only 17 youth in this initial pilot project, we received an overwhelming response of over 3,000 applications, which reflects the hunger among our youth to skill themselves. The selected group comprised 50% women, a testament to our commitment to closing the gender skills gap in the digital economy.
Fifteen trainees graduated from the skills training phase (10 women and five men), and have been placed on a 12-month work integrated learning program among small and medium enterprises in sectors such as edtech, digital marketing, e-commerce, IT, manufacturing and logistics.
The momentum continues with the second group calling for STEP UP. A total of 231 youth were selected from over 1,500 applications and included in the programme, which started in January this year.
Applications for our 2026/27 CodeTribe Academy 12-month QCTO accredited program for youth in the Northern Cape open in February 2026. This program targets unemployed youth who want to gain practical software development skills and start a career in technology.
We received a total of 344 applications indicating strong interest in this opportunity. Based on available funding, 15 youth have been included in the program, with 53% being female (eight participants) and 47% being male (seven participants).
The program begins with a one-week bootcamp, followed by shortlisting of invited candidates to the interview stage.
Need-based subsidies are available for eligible participants. Applications close on 24 February 2026.
While offering our full-time programs, we heed the call for smaller training interventions in the ecosystem that generate excitement about technology and the digital economy.
In January, we hosted Her-AI-Path, a dynamic workshop designed for women who want to start a business or strengthen an existing one using artificial intelligence. The session introduced practical AI tools that can support and develop women entrepreneurs and young unemployed women in their entrepreneurial journey.
The workshop was organized by Palesa Antony, our Technology Ecosystem Lead, at eKasiLabs at The Innovation Hub in Soweto on 28 January 2026.
However, a troubling trend worth noting is that while the ecosystem responds to the call with interest, actual events often involve very few people. mLab is taking major interest in trying to understand this phenomenon. Some cited transportation challenges and other commitments as being unable to attend.
A total of 26 women participated in the training with positive feedback about their learning opportunity
With the support of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), MLLab is supporting early-stage entrepreneurs in three provinces to fast-track the development of their enterprises.
In November 2025, we welcomed 22 entrepreneurs into our Start-up Accelerator programme: seven from Limpopo, seven from KwaZulu-Natal, and eight from the Northern Cape.
Through the program, entrepreneurs receive:
- Seed funding to unlock growth.
- Market research assistance to validate opportunities.
- Guidance to de-risk businesses to strengthen sustainability.
- Access to networks and industry partners.
- Structured mentorship from experienced ecosystem players.
Further updates coming soon.
Gugu Nkosi, MLAB Project Manager.
“Our focus is not just on certification, but on building confident problem solvers who can adapt, innovate and add value in the emerging digital environment. We call on companies, start-ups and organizations looking for capable, motivated digital talent to partner with us and leverage this growing pipeline of skilled young professionals.”
“Graduates of our STEP UP II program will be available to add value to businesses from July 2026, so we are encouraging business leaders looking for trained digital talent to complete our Expression of Interest form to avoid disappointment and facilitate our screening and matchmaking process. Please express your interest Here. ” – Gugu Nkosi, mllab project Manager.
We are proud to share that Northern Cape-based SME The Startup Legal, a legal partner for South African start-ups and scaling businesses that provides tailored, practical legal services from employment law and contracts to intellectual property protection and business compliance, has hired two of our CodeTribe graduates.
Carabello Pule Nthoroane has joined the team as Frontend Lead – UX & Consistency, and Lebogang has joined as Backend Support Engineer – Integration & Reliability.
Their skills and passion reflect our ongoing commitment to developing and supporting top digital talent. Read more of his stories and journey with MLLab Here.
Tendai Majude spoke to Business Day TV.
Tendai Majhude spoke to Business Day TV about South African SMEs and the digital talent they need to grow and scale. mLab is helping SMEs develop this talent through the Step Up programme, supporting businesses with the digital skills they need to succeed. Tendai spoke to Business Day TV reporter Khaka Ngkofe about this work. Watch the full interview Here.
Come connect with us to absorb talent in your organization, collaborate on training, co-create programs or partner with us to grow the ecosystem.
Email us at info@mlab.co.za.