NEMISA develops e-skills capacity in South Africa by creating a partnership framework that guides e-skills initiative. Developing e-skills is an enormous project and needs partnerships, with government, business, education, civil society, labour and international stakeholders.

The globally recognised collaborative model:

• Addressing e-skills interventions through teaching and learning, research, innovation, monitoring and evaluation, and aggregation
• Acting as a leader and national catalyst for developing e-skills In south Africa
• Playing an advocacy role in developing users, consumers and citizens within the information and knowledge-based environment

NEMISA’s partnership framework and collaboration methodology

Working within the NEMISA partnership framework offers the following:

• Maximises impact, avoids duplication and maximises the use of infrastructure and resources – through coordination and through working together
• The ability to conduct research on identified gaps across industry, populations and geography so that there is national increased impact
• Alignment to individual organisation and sector priorities, as well as national priorities (such as the inclusion of marginalised people like women, the disabled, and the youth)
• Access to academic research for evidence-based and informed decision making on e-skills, as well as research opportunities
• Academic and partner feedback around e-skilling methodologies for the South African environment – the provincial e-Skills CoLabs and partners pilot and research different methodologies, as well as creating e-skills courses and curricula
• National, provincial and community level access
  • NEMISA is a central office that coordinates nationally and globally.
  • The e-Skills CoLabs, based at universities, coordinate on a provincial level. There are currently 6 e-Skills CoLabs. However, there will ultimately be 9, correlating to the 9 South African provinces.
  • The e-Skills CoLabs are developing a community e-centre network across the country. This allows for interaction and coordination at a local community level.
• Mechanism to show overall impact through aggregation (combining all the initiatives)
• A single cohesive point to develop a national advocacy and awareness platform around the role and importance of e-skills – to people, communities, government, business, civil society, and education

NEMISA is leader and national catalyst for developing e-skills (digital skills) in South Africa – to the benefit of the whole population.