South Africa’s biggest
national Employment, Skills & Career Pathways virtual INDABA is here!
Join the Employment, Skills & Career Pathways Indaba 2026 powered by Career Indaba® Expo & Bootcamp taking place on 09 & 10 October 2026, a high-impact two day National Live Broadcast hosted from the JSE in Sandton and reaching audiences across all 9 provinces. South Africa and Africa’s large-scale sector-aligned career pathways Indaba designed to unlock structured employment pathways and strengthen workforce readiness across priority industries. We aim to strengthen inclusive economic participation and growth.
THEMED -FUTURE PROOFING SKILLS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH-
Event Details
Date: 09 & 10 October 2026
Hybrid Format: 2-Day National Live Broadcast, Live Streaming to all Provinces
Broadcast: Provincial Virtual Hubs, Career Indaba® Radio Channel, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, X. Free Registration: careerindaba.org/registration
We are bringing together employers, education institutions and policymakers within a structured environment designed to address unemployment, labour market fragmentation, strengthen school-to-work transitions and expand equitable access to sector-aligned employment and demand-led skills pathways.
Strategic Alignment
Career Indaba® Expo & Bootcamp 2026 aligns with South Africa’s national development and workforce reform priorities, translating policy intent into structured engagement and measurable employment progression.
The platform advances inclusive growth, youth employment and demand-led skills alignment through coordinated employer, education and policy participation.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Featuring the country’s Top 10 High-Priority Sectors shaping the future of work and economic opportunity. Explore high-impact Sector Pathways Masterclasses and Sector Bootcamps activating registrations, career assessments, and more.
- Real-time Job-Wall, Bursary Funding Zone Internship & Learnership Activation
- 10x High-Growth Industry Bootcamps
- 10x Sector & Academic Faculty Masterclasses
- Career Coaching Clinics & Skills-Based Assessment Zones
- Institution Application Activation for 2027 & Real-Time Support
- Pitch Booth for Startup Businesses
PARTICIPATION
Participation is open to organisations who play a significant role in employment creation, skills development, workforce preparation and sector advancement. Employers, Industry Leaders, Learning Institutions, TVET Colleges, Universities, EdTech Providers, Workforce Technology Platforms, Recruiters, Skills Development Providers, Government Departments, SETAs, Policymakers, Small Enterprise Development Agencies; and Entrepreneurship Support Organisations are included.
Who Benefits
Grade 10–12 learners exploring post-school pathways; university and TVET students preparing for workforce entry, unemployed graduates seeking structured employment opportunities, youth not in employment, education or training (NEET). Retrenched professionals navigating re-entry into the labour market, active job seekers; and individuals considering career transitions or sector shifts.
CAREER COACHING
Clinics
Career Indaba® Expo & Bootcamp 2026 is designed for individuals at critical transition points within their education and employment journeys. Expect to engage with professionally certified Career Coaches who will provide personalised support on career pathway selection, workplace readiness and career transitioning.
ANNUAL
MEASURABLE Outcomes
2026-2030
The platform remains outcomes-focused, structured and aligned to measurable employability progression.
Employment & SME Access
5,000+ Jobs, Internship & Learnership Applications
Masterclasses & CV Clinics
9,000+ Participants Engaged, Supported in Masterclasses & CV Clinics
Access to Bursary Funding & Formal Learning
5,000+ Bursary & Formal Leaning Applications Submitted
Career Coaching
3,000 Career Assessments & 5,000 Coaching Sessions
Employer Engagement
100+ Employers Activated
Policy Reforms
10+ Actionable Briefs Developed from Expert Sessions
Rural Inclusion
Reaching 5,000+ Learners from Underserved Communities
Ai & Digital Tools
5+ EdTech Platforms Enabling Reskilling for NEET Youth
Stakeholder Collaboration
100+ Partnerships Mobilised to Reduce Unemployment & Skills Mismatches
Sponsors & Speakers
Expect high-impact solution-driven engagements aligned to policy reforms, innovation, and youth empowerment.
Key Themes
- Future of Work in Africa
- Bridging the Skills Mismatches
- Youth Employment & Labour Market Entry
- Fit-for-Purpose Career Pathways
- Inclusive Access & Economic Participation
- The role of Employer in Talent Development
- Innovation in Skills, Learning & Career Access
- Policy Reform for Workforce Readiness
- Sustainable Job Creation & Green Careers
- Entrepreneurship & the Informal Economy
PROGRAMME
A two-day experience designed to drive high-impact focused on employment, skills alignment, and access to sector-specific opportunities through immersive bootcamps and sector masterclasses.
Day 1: Friday, 09 October 2026
Understanding the economy, sectors, labour-market demand, occupations, demand-led skills and sector opportunities. Sector Masterclasses
08:00 – 09:00 Virtual Arrival & Delegate Broadcast Login
09:00 – 09:15 Opening & Welcome
09:15 – 09:45 Opening Address: South Africa’s Employment, Skills, and Career Pathways Emergency
09:45 – 10:20 National Panel Discussion 1: What Is Driving Unemployment, Skills Mismatches and Blocked Career Pathways?
10:30 – 10:40 National Dashboard Launch
10:40 – 10:55 Comfort Break Transition
11:00 – 11:30 Sector Masterclass 1: Digital, ICT and AI
11:30 – 12:00 Sector Masterclass 2: FinTech, Banking, Insurance and Business Services
12:00 – 12:20 Exhibitor & Activation Slot 1
12:30 – 13:00 Sector Masterclass 3: Health and Care Economy
13:30 – 14:00 Sector Masterclass 4: Education, Teaching and Early Childhood Development
14:00 – 14:20 Exhibitor & Activation Slot 2
14:30 – 15:00 Sector Masterclass 5: Agriculture and Agro-processing
15:00 – 15:30 Sector Masterclass 6: Logistics, Transport and Supply Chain
15:30 – 16:00 Sector Masterclass 7: Engineering and Manufacturing Pathways
16:00 – 16:30 Sector Masterclass 8: Mining, Construction, and Infrastructure
16:30 – 17:00 Exhibitor & Activation Slot 3
17:00 – 17:30 Sector Masterclass 9: Energy and Green Economy
17:30 – 18:00 Sector Masterclass 10: Entrepreneurship, Retail, Services and Self-Employment
18:00 – 18:30 Day 1 Dashboard Review & Wrap-Up
Day 2: Saturday, 10 October 2026
Turning sector insight into action through sector-aligned access to applications, sign-ups, registration and funding. Pathway Bootcamps
08:00 – 09:00 Virtual Arrival & Delegate Broadcast Login
09:00 – 09:15 Welcome & Reset
09:15 – 09:50 National Panel Discussion 2: What must employers, government, institutions, SETAs, and funders do differently now?
09:50 – 10:00 Transitioning
10:00 – 10:30 Pathway Bootcamp 1: Digital and ICT Application Routes
10:30 – 11:00 Pathway Bootcamp 2: Finance, Banking, Insurance and Business Services Application Routes
11:00 – 11:30 Exhibitor & Activation Slot 4
11:30 – 12:00 Pathway Bootcamp 3: Health and Care Pathways Access
12:00 – 12:30 Pathway Bootcamp 4: Education, Teaching and ECD Pathways Access
12:30 – 12:50 Exhibitor & Activation Slot 5
13:00 – 13:30 Pathway Bootcamp 5: Agriculture and Agro-processing Routes
13:30 – 14:00 Pathway Bootcamp 6: Logistics, Transport and Supply Chain Routes
14:00 – 14:30 Lunch & Meet the Funders
14:30 – 15:00 Pathway Bootcamp 7: Engineering and Manufacturing Routes
15:00 – 15:30 Pathway Bootcamp 8: Mining, Construction, and Infrastructure Routes
15:30 – 15:50 Exhibitor & Activation Slot 6
16:00 – 16:30 Pathway Bootcamp 9: Energy and Green Economy Routes
16:30 – 17:00 Pathway Bootcamp 10: Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment, and SME Funding Readiness
17:00 – 17:30 Formal Closing – Reflections, Live Commitments Session & final National Dashboard Review.
Unlocking Sector-Aligned Skills & Career Pathways for inclusive economic participation
Contact Us
General Inquiries: info@careerindaba.org Partnerships & Exhibitors: partnerships@careerindaba.org Tel: +27 (0)12 003 6663 WhatsApp: +27 (0) 76 182 7942 Website: www.careerindaba.org
