Home to South Africa’s Leading Tertiary Institutions
Cape Town offers world-class tertiary institutions and a rich pool of young talent for investors and businesses, both of which contribute significantly to the employment rate in South Africa. The increased foreign direct investment effect on economic growth has boosted innovation and skills within the city, and given rise to the exceptional talent currently helping various businesses expand effectively.
The Western Cape province supports some of South Africa’s top tertiary institutions, providing cities like Cape Town with access to highly skilled young talent. This influx of skilled individuals has contributed significantly to the innovation happening across multiple sectors. Some of the top-ranking institutions are:
- The University of Cape Town (Highest QS World Ranking amongst African Universities)
- University of Stellenbosch Business School
- University of Western Cape
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology
In addition, the University of Stellenbosch (second highest QS World Ranking amongst SA universities) is located just outside of the city’s boundaries.
Skills Geared Towards Science and Engineering
Skills, especially in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines, are critical for innovation, increasing productivity and competitiveness. This has also been influenced by the drive within these industries and foreign companies establishing businesses in South Africa, which has given Cape Town the moniker of being the ‘Silicon Cape’ of South Africa. A total of 27% of Cape Town graduates are STEM graduates.
In 2020, approximately 117 575 students were enrolled in the four Western Cape universities (the three Cape Town universities and Stellenbosch University). Of the province’s graduates obtaining undergraduate degrees in 2022, 37,6% graduated from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 24,2% graduated from Stellenbosch University, 20,0% graduated from the University of Western Cape and 18,3% graduated from the University of Cape Town.
Strategic Collaboration to Boost Much-Needed Skills
The City of Cape Town collaborates with private and public sector stakeholders to assist with a steady supply of skills demanded by industry. Partnerships with national, provincial and private strategic partners, including non-profit organisations, enable effective skills training for Cape Town’s unemployed youth.
Participants in these programmes frequently secure internships and eventually transition into permanent employment positions which are created to help reduce the unemployment rate in South Africa. Current skills development training programmes undertaken through the City of Cape Town include business process outsourcing, entry-level agent training, supervisor and team leader training, software and business analysis training in IT (information technology), digital training, clothing, textile and fashion training, and training interventions related to the green economy.
