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Registration is open for the 2025 FNB App Academy, a free online coding course. Since its inception, the initiative has provided 17,000 young people from South Africa and across the continent with digital training to secure jobs or start tech ventures.

FNB says the skills and social development initiative goes beyond teaching coding skills – it’s about helping young people discover their potential, improve their employability, and foster entrepreneurial thinking so they can become the next generation of digital professionals and job creators.

The programme aims to equip participants with hands-on coding experience, industry insights, and mentorship to build a career in tech. It begins on 22 April 2025 and runs for nine weeks, with classes held twice a week.

The academy has provided access to high-demand skills that have led to job opportunities. One success story is Simphiwe Radebe, who entered the programme with a matric certificate. Through the academy, he gained the skills and certification needed to land a role at one of SA’s leading financial institutions, proving that access to quality education and tools can be a powerful equaliser.

“I joined the App Academy while doing my grade 11, I had no formal experience in software development,” says Radebe. “The academy not only gave me the technical skills but also the confidence and network to break into the industry.

“Today, I’m working as a full stack developer for a leading corporate, and I’m grateful for the opportunities this programme has given me.”

A 39-year-old applicant, Mpho Ntusi, is enrolled in the 2025 programme. She comes from a small farming town in the Eastern Cape where access to higher education seems out of reach. The programme aims to provide the tools needed for Ntusi to build a career in tech and uplift her community – something she already does through her work with a non-profit organisation.

She says: “I am hoping to gain variable insights and skills from the programme. I am very ready and look forward to learning from the best. I hope that the knowledge that I gain from this programme will lead to more employment opportunities and to continue to contribute to the lives of those that I serve.”

The Academy says key highlights include:

• A nationally recognised qualification: Graduates leave with formal accreditation that makes them competitive in the job market.
• Practical, hands-on learning: The curriculum focuses on practical, hands-on learning, ensuring students can immediately apply their skills in the industry.
• Job and business creation: Many alumni go on to secure jobs at top companies, while others launch their own businesses, helping to grow SA’s digital economy.
• Mentorship and industry exposure: Participants gain insights from leading industry experts through mentorship and industry exposure, learning what it takes to succeed in tech.

Janis Robson, FNB’s head of business development, says: “The FNB App Academy is a direct response to SA’s growing need for digital skills. It’s about more than just training developers – it’s about empowering young people with the tools to build sustainable careers and businesses.

“By providing free, high-quality education, we are breaking down barriers and opening doors to a future where technology can drive economic growth and social change. The success stories of Simphiwe, Mpho, and thousands of others show us that with the right support, our youth can lead SA’s digital transformation.”

SA workforce gains more coders

Meanwhile,103 graduates from the Zaio Institute of Technology’s coding programme have been placed in jobs across SA. This includes 53 women and 50 men being placed in the first two months of 2025.

Zaio’s job placement initiative aims to ensure graduates gain critical STEM skills and step directly into careers where they can apply them.

Most placements have been in Gauteng, which accounts for 62.14% of the total, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 19.42% and the Western Cape with 11.65%. In terms of industry distribution, most graduates have entered the technology sector (39.81%), with a significant portion also placed in education (26.21%) and healthcare (6.79%). The remaining 27.19% have found roles across a range of other industries, including construction, fashion, finance, non-profits, media, agriculture, and energy.

These placements highlight the growing role of women in STEM, and the impact of structured tech education in bridging the employment gap.