• Established in 2023, the Mido Cyber Academy recently celebrated the graduation of its first group of cohorts.
• The academy runs an internship programme aimed at helping underserved communities in the Western Cape.
• The academy was created by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in partnership with KnowBe4 Africa and MiDO Technologies.

Over the years we have seen a number cybersecurity academies, training facilities and hubs springing up around South Africa. This is not without reason as cybersecurity skills are in demand not just locally, but globally.

One such institution is the Mido Cyber Academy. Established to provide access to specialised digital skills in South Africa and throughout the African continent, the Mido Cyber Academy recently celebrated the graduation of its first class of cohorts. The academy came to being in 2023 thanks to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in partnership with KnowBe4 Africa and MiDO Technologies.

“With a focus on cybersecurity, critical thinking, soft skills, innovation, collaboration and personal resilience, we aim to bridge the digital and cyber skills divide that exists between job seekers and internships or junior positions available in the IT and cybersecurity market, thereby addressing both the high youth unemployment rate and the skills shortage in emerging technologies,” chief executive officer at MiDO Technologies, Dale Simons said in a press statement.

The academy runs and Intern Readiness Programme aimed at helping 18 to 24-year-olds in underserved communities in the Western Cape. The programme runs for 10 months and seeks to place all students in internship positions. While theoretical knowledge is important, job experience, especially when it comes to cybersecurity, is vital.

“The problem we are faced with is not a ‘talent shortage’ but an ‘experience shortage’ and we urge South African and international technology teams to consider ways to expose these graduates to real projects and challenges. Cybersecurity is a career of lifelong learning and their journey has only just started. It’s up to us to provide the opportunities via experiences”, says Anna Collard, SVP of Content Strategy and Evangelist for KnowBe4 Africa.

Last year we spoke with Trend Micro about what cybersecurity skills are needed in South Africa as well as how to obtain those skills. We highly recommend you give that a read here if you’re exploring career options.

With cybercrime constantly on the rise and the severity of breaches becoming worse and worse, initiatives that help secure the world’s data must be sufficiently supported.