WeThinkCode, the organisation launched to develop a programming talent pipeline for companies, has secured R35-million in grant funding to develop and run an AI training programme.

The US$2-million grant, from Google.org, will “dramatically expand” WeThinkCode’s artificial intelligence programmes, with a plan to train 12 000 people in South Africa and Kenya in what it calls “critical AI skills for the rapidly evolving job market”.

“A recent SAP report highlights that 90% of companies in Africa are negatively impacted by a lack of AI skills, experiencing project delays, failed innovation and an inability to take on new work,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.

“WeThinkCode has long been dedicated to bridging this gap by training unemployed youth from low-income backgrounds to become work-ready software engineers. Through its tuition-free, aptitude-based training model, the academy provides access to high-quality tech education for individuals traditionally underrepresented in the sector. With AI poised to transform industries globally, this new initiative ensures that African youth are at the forefront of this digital revolution,” it said.

The programme will offer a free, extracurricular course, ranging from 40 to 80 hours, designed to upskill participants in both technical and non-technical roles. The training will be delivered through two distinct streams:

AI for software engineers: This will help equip 6 000 aspiring and early-career engineers with essential AI-powered programming tools and workflows, WeThinkCode said.
AI for non-tech careers: This will train 6 000 students and junior employees in diverse sectors such as legal, education and health to integrate AI into their daily administrative tasks, “significantly enhancing efficiency, productivity and employability”.

Partnerships

The initiative will target people from low-income households and those in peri-urban and rural areas.

“To ensure successful delivery and broad accessibility, WeThinkCode will enhance its learning management system to support both remote and in-person training, with local language adaptations,” it said.

Read: Brain gain? South Africa seeks to woo expat talent with incentives

“The programme will also leverage existing partnerships with companies across financial services, telecommunications and tech consulting to showcase participants’ newly acquired AI capabilities and significantly improve their employment prospects.” — © 2025 NewsCentral Media

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