In a country grappling with about 32% unemployment rate and a drop in tech hiring activity due to a persistent skills mismatch, finding a job in South Africa’s competitive tech industry can feel like a long shot. While universities continue to produce graduates, many enter the job market lacking the practical, in-demand skills that employers need. This skills mismatch means it often takes graduates six to twelve months to secure employment, if they can at all. But Zaio, a local edtech startup, addresses this issue head-on by integrating career placement into its core model, not as an afterthought, but as the outcome, helping students secure jobs in top companies.
Founded in 2017, Zaio provides intensive, bootcamp-style training programs to equip learners with in-demand skills. The institute offers courses in data analysis, machine learning, and web development, along with a newly launched cybersecurity program—all lasting six to seven months and priced at around R30,000 ($1660). Zaio also provides shorter, specialised training options, including micro developer bootcamps and an AI for office professionals course, each costing approximately R10,000 ($550), with options for installment payments.
Since January 2025, Zaio has successfully placed 131 of its students in various roles across nine South African provinces, with a near-even gender split of 63 women and 68 men. Zaio trains between 600 to 800 students per year, of which 90% are young people—claiming an 80% course completion rate.
Mvelo Hlophe, Zaio CEO, told that this success lies in Zaio’s placement-first approach and proactive career facilitation.
“Our training is directly aligned with industry demand, ensuring that our graduates leave with job-ready skills that companies are actively hiring for,” he said.
Zaio’s graduates have secured positions in top organisations such as First National Bank, Absa, Girl Hype, and Africa Inspired Foundation, as well as emerging tech firms like Torho Technologies and Ecolabs.
“Zaio’s bootcamp truly changed my life,” said Mpho Lawrence Buthelezi, a web development graduate from Zaio. “Not only did I gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed, but its strong industry connections helped me land a job with a top AI company, a role perfectly aligned with my goals.”
Zaio’s extensive network of industry placement partners plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between education and employment for young tech professionals in South Africa.
“Our strongest commitment is that we guarantee an interview for every learner who completes our program,” adds Hlophe. “That is only possible because of the robust network of placement partners we have built within the tech ecosystem, and we consistently have companies looking to hire our graduates.”.
How Zaio uses AI to help students complete their courses to secure jobs
In 2023, as artificial intelligence’s influence grew, South African educators expressed concerns that tools like ChatGPT would unleash a wave of academic dishonesty, and genuine learning would take a back seat.
It was that time, when Zaio took its bet to build on existing models like OpenAI to provide AI-assisted and personalised learning.
“Initially, using AI was to reduce the need for constant tutor interaction, especially to beginners who often encountered numerous errors while learning to code, particularly during late-night study sessions when tutors were unavailable,” said Asif Hassam, Zaio’s CTO.
That early experiment evolved into a sophisticated AI-assisted learning platform. Today, Zaio combines human support with AI, providing real-time feedback, progress tracking, and adaptive coding challenges. This inclusive philosophy has helped Zaio attract a diverse pool of learners.
Dakalo Sadiki, another graduate, said, “Before joining Zaio, I knew absolutely nothing about coding, not even what HTML looked like. Today, I have grown into an advanced developer, building websites, AI projects for top clients.. Zaio did not just teach me how to code, it gave me the tools and the network to build a future I never thought possible.”
Zaio operates in a competitive landscape of coding bootcamps and digital skills academies focused on job-ready training. Institutions like Zaio’s main competitors are HyperionDev, WeThinkCode_, and CodeSpace, as one of the leaders in the space. While several institutions in South Africa offer tech training similar to Zaio, Hlophe claims, unlike many institutions that require prior qualifications or technical experience, it removes entry barriers for even tech starters, with no age limit.
“We believe coding is for everyone,” says Asif. “Our curriculum starts from the ground up, designed for absolute beginners with no background in tech.”
To set itself apart, Zaio has also established the Africa Inspired Foundation (AIF), which aims to provide high-quality training in rural areas with an ambitious goal of training 10,000 youths in rural areas by 2030.
What Zaio is betting big on
In 2024, South Africa’s edtech market generated $928.7 million, with 61% of that revenue coming from the K–12 (basic education) segment. Despite the dominance, Zaio is placing its bets on higher education and corporate upskilling markets, two segments expected to explode in the coming years as e-learning platforms, virtual classrooms, and the demand for workplace-ready talent intensifies.
Zaio addresses the pressing demand for skilled tech professionals such as full-stack developers and data analysts, which remain among the most sought-after tech roles in South Africa for 2025.
Zaio is moving towards a learning system that adjusts to each student’s needs, where the curriculum shifts in real time to match each learner’s speed and skill level. By using data analytics, it tracks engagement, pinpoints common struggles, and tailors lessons to individual needs for a more personalised education experience.
“We track how learners engage with the material and identify common bottlenecks,” explained Asif Hassam, Head of Product at Zaio. “This allows us to deliver a more personalized and effective learning experience for each individual.”
Looking ahead, Zaio’s ambitions extend beyond South Africa. The team envisions a future where African developers are globally sought after and where Zaio is the training ground that powers job creation.
“We want talent emerging from the African continent to be globally competitive,” said Hlophe. “If a hiring manager anywhere in the world is looking for a developer, and Africa becomes their first point of call—because that individual has gone through Zaio—we would see that as achieving our mission.”
