ShiftMate · Skills Development
Academy
We build verified
employment pathways
for SA youth.
ShiftMate Academy is the training channel that sits between assessment and employment. We close skill gaps in candidates identified through our assessments, and help employers put their Skills Development Levies to work training existing staff.
The training channel that sits between assessment and employment.
In every hiring situation there is a portion of candidates who show real potential — but who don't yet have the skills, experience, or formal knowledge that an employer needs them to have on day one. Those candidates don't fail. They get routed here.
ShiftMate Academy closes the gap. When our assessment tools identify what a candidate needs in order to become work-ready, the Academy delivers the right programme to close that gap and re-presents them to employers as verified, hire-ready candidates.
The Academy also serves employers directly. Companies with a monthly wage bill above R500,000 are required by law to pay 1% in Skills Development Levies. Rather than letting that money disappear to a SETA, we work with those employers to put their levy toward quality training for their existing staff — generating B-BBEE evidence, SETA compliance, and measurable workforce development.
From our assessment channel
Candidates assessed through ShiftMate who show potential but need specific skills development are enrolled directly into the Academy programme that closes their specific gaps. No separate application required.
Employer SDL training
Employers paying Skills Development Levies work with us to apply that money toward quality training for existing employees — generating B-BBEE evidence, SETA compliance, and measurable workforce development.
A different class of training
The industry standard is a red tick or a green tick.
We replaced that.
Most training providers tell candidates whether they got an answer right or wrong. That is where the feedback ends. ShiftMate Academy doesn't stop there — and the difference in outcomes shows.
From assessment to employment.
The Academy is not a standalone training provider — it is an integrated step in a continuous loop that starts with assessment and ends with a hire.
Candidate completes ShiftMate's structured assessment across psychometric, knowledge, and voice readiness layers.
Results show a "Potential Fit" — candidate has ability but specific skills, knowledge, or credentials are missing.
Candidate is enrolled into the specific Academy programme that closes their identified gaps.
Candidate completes the relevant modules, applied assessments, and earns verified competency credentials.
Candidate returns to the ShiftMate employer pipeline — now with verified credentials and a completed Academy track record.
Candidate is matched to a trial shift. Employer observes real performance before making a permanent offer.
Your wage bill is your training budget. Are you using it?
If your company pays more than R500,000 per month in salaries, South African law requires you to contribute 1% of that bill as a Skills Development Levy. That money goes directly to a SETA — and it only comes back to you if you train your staff.
Most employers let it disappear. ShiftMate Academy helps you put it to work. We identify what your existing employees need, build or source the right programme, generate the B-BBEE Skills Development evidence your company needs, and manage the full SETA compliance process on your behalf.
The result: trained, more capable employees — and your SDL levy working for your business rather than funding someone else's priorities.
Any South African employer with a monthly wage bill above R500,000. You are already paying the levy — the question is whether you are claiming it back.
Mandatory grants (20% of your levy) returned when you submit a Workplace Skills Plan. Discretionary grants from your SETA when you complete SETA-aligned training. Both require evidence — we produce it.
Training for your employees generates verified evidence toward your B-BBEE scorecard — specifically the Skills Development element, which contributes 20 points under the revised DTI codes.
Needs analysis, programme enrolment, SETA-aligned delivery, milestone verification, evidence packs, and claim submission — handled by ShiftMate Academy. Not your HR team.
What we offer.
Three programmes, each designed for a specific need and audience. Click through to learn more about how each works, who it is for, and how to apply.
Digital Work Readiness
SFIA Level 2 — 6 core digital competencies
Built for candidates identified through assessment as having the potential to work in digital and BPO roles — but who need verified, evidence-based credentials before employers will consider them. Six applied competency modules, a Trial Shift, and a Work Integrated Learning placement.
BPO Training Modules
10 standalone unit standard modules
All 10 BPO unit standard modules are available as standalone access — outside the full 12-month learnership. Employers can sponsor specific modules for existing agents, and candidates who have completed the TalentForge BPO assessment can access modules independently.
Three audiences. Three distinct propositions.
Turn your potential into proof.
If you were assessed through ShiftMate and shown as a "Potential Fit" — you are exactly who the Academy is built for. You have the ability. We close the gap and put you in front of employers ready to hire.
Three ways to work with us.
Receive a pre-assessed, Academy-trained candidate for a 3–5 month Work Integrated Learning placement. No recruitment fee. First right of hire. B-BBEE Skills Development points.
Sponsor a cohort through the 12-month BPO Learnership. Counts toward your SDL obligations, strengthens your B-BBEE Skills Development score, and gives you first access to trained, vetted talent at completion.
If your wage bill exceeds R500K/month, we help you apply your levy obligation toward quality, SETA-aligned training for the people already on your team.
See exactly what your money is doing.
Most workforce programmes give you a summary at the end. We give you a live view throughout — every candidate, where they are in the programme, their assessment results, and whether they got placed.
Funding releases tied to verified milestones — not invoices. You see the outcome before the disbursement happens.
Refer your beneficiaries and track their progress directly. No chasing us for updates — the data is yours to view.
Every candidate journey is tracked end-to-end. Assessment scores, module completion, employment placement. Real numbers, not a pitch deck.
Ready to explore the Academy?
Whether you are a candidate looking to close a skills gap, an employer wanting to put your SDL levy to work, or a funder looking for evidence-grade outcomes — start here.