South Africa’s ongoing youth unemployment crisis calls for solutions that deliver real and measurable impact. CAPACITI is addressing this crisis by partnering with industry leaders to provide young talent with tech and career readiness skills needed in today’s economy.
Three young women from CAPACITI’s skills development programmes have earned internships at one of South Africa’s leading banks.
Reflections from female candidates redefining talent in the workplace
Thembisile Shongwe arrived with a vision to deepen her expertise in cybersecurity. Today, she’s administering one of the world’s most advanced SIEM tools a role that requires precision, problem-solving, and adaptability. “The skills I learned at CAPACITI were world-class,” she says. “They prepared me for challenges I didn’t even know existed in my field.”
For Tracey Bungu, this internship opened doors she hadn’t imagined. As a data engineer working with AI and innovation, she’s building solutions that could shape the future of banking. “At first, I was scared to speak up,” she admits. “CAPACITI’s training taught me to show up even in spaces that feel intimidating.”
Ximiyeto Makhubele joined the bank as a Performance and Test Automation Engineer, and today she’s gaining hands-on experience in ensuring software is reliable and ready for users. She values the exposure to real-world challenges and the chance to collaborate with skilled professionals. “Every day is an opportunity to learn and grow in ways I never imagined,” she says.
Their reflections highlight the progress women are making in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
Invest in Future-Fit Talent
With the support of visionary partnerships, CAPACITI provides a holistic approach to developing South Africa’s future workforce. Practical skills training, mentorship, and workplace exposure are combined to build confidence, capability, and employability, while also shifting perceptions of where talent comes from and what it can achieve. For partners, investing in CAPACITI means shaping diverse, work-ready pipelines, driving digital transformation, and contributing to a new narrative where young people are recognised as vital to economic growth.
Celebrating Progress
From cybersecurity to AI, the interns’ aspirations now stretch toward leadership roles and specialist positions. Their advice for other women in tech is to be bold, embrace mentorship, keep learning, and remember that your voice matters.
This SA Women’s Month, CAPACITI is celebrating progress through partnerships that are building an inclusive future for tech in South Africa.
These incredible outcomes were made possible through our visionary partnership with FNB.
