Richfield has announced a strategic partnership with Adapt IT, a leading software and technology solutions provider, aimed at strengthening the link between academia and industry, enhancing graduate employability, and accelerating South Africa’s digital transformation.
With South Africa’s QLFS Q2 2025.pdf youth unemployment rate remaining alarmingly high – 62.2% among 15-24-year-olds and 40.5% among those aged 25-34 – and the graduate unemployment rate rising to 12.2% in Q2:2025, the need for education that bridges the gap between classroom learning and employability has never been greater.
The collaboration sees Richfield and Adapt IT co-developing programmes and initiatives to better prepare students for the world of work. This includes aligning the institute’s curriculum with industry technologies, work-integrated learning, and joint innovation projects that allow students to apply their academic knowledge to real-world challenges.
Dr Stephen Akandwanaho, executive dean: Faculty of Information Technology at Richfield, says the partnership represents a shared commitment to transforming education into a dynamic, opportunity-driven ecosystem: “As the leading private tertiary institution provider in South Africa for business and IT degrees, we seek to partner with industry bodies that share a common goal: to bridge the gap between academic learning and the evolving needs of the digital economy.”
Richfield’s collaboration with Adapt IT sees them embedding industry relevance into their student experience. “From internships and mentorship programmes to innovation challenges and access to Adapt IT’s technology platforms, our students will gain the exposure and applied skills that set them apart in the job market,” says Akandwanaho.
This partnership reinforces Richfield’s long-term vision of producing future-ready graduates equipped with 21st-century competencies and industry-recognised credentials. For Adapt IT, it supports its mission to drive digital transformation in Africa through innovation, skills development, and inclusive participation in the tech sector.
Students and graduates will directly benefit from structured internship opportunities and access to industry experts and certification pathways aligned with Adapt IT’s technologies. Graduates who excel may also be fast-tracked into Adapt IT’s recruitment and talent development programmes.
“This collaboration is about creating meaningful opportunities,” adds Akandwanaho. “It reflects a strategic alignment of purpose – one that empowers our students to be employable, entrepreneurial, and impactful in a rapidly changing digital landscape.”
Together, Richfield and Adapt IT are demonstrating how partnerships between education and industry can help solve South Africa’s youth unemployment challenge while cultivating a new generation of digital professionals ready to shape the continent’s future.
